OMCs start selling 5-kg LPG cylinders to domestic consumers in Delhi

State-run oil marketing companies have started selling subsidised cooking gas in 5-kg packs, at Rs155 per cylinder, in Delhi, in a move that will offer a choice to cooking gas consumers.

So far, OMCS were selling cooking gas (LPG) for domestic use in 14.2-g cylinders and consumers were entitled to 12 such cylinders in a year at subsidised price of Rs417 in Delhi.

Now consumers can avail of 34 cylinders of 5-kg each in a year at subsidised rates of Rs155 per cylinder, in Delhi, petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan informed the Rajya Sabha today.

Any requirement beyond that would have to be bought at market price of Rs351 per cylinder, the minister said.

''Public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) have reported that they are already marketing subsidised 5-kg cylinders... up to 34 cylinders in a year per connection. Consumption beyond 34 cylinders in a year is at non-subsidised rate,'' he told Rajya Sabha in a written reply to a question.

Until now, these 5-kg LPG cylinders were being made available at select petrol pumps but at market price of Rs351.

The mini-LPG cylinder gives an option to people with small incomes to buy a refill at subsidised rate.

Households now have the option to buy 12 cylinders of 14.2-g each at subsidised rate in a year or 34 bottles of 5-kg each at the below-market price per annum.

The minister, however, stated the delivered price of the domestic natural gas may change from state-to-state depending upon transportation charges, state and local taxes and levies etc.

The price of imported re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) is market determined and is settled mutually between the buyer and the seller, he said.

Since, availability of domestic natural gas is limited, the government has been following the policy of sectoral priority in allocation of domestic gas and at present there is no policy of allocating domestic gas to individual states, he added.