Cooking gas has become cheaper but diesel price for bulk consumers is to cost more by over Rs. one per litre. There no change in the retail prices of diesel sold through petrol pumps nor in the rates of 9 subsidized LPG cylinders sold to consumers.

Oil companies have announced a cut in the price of non subsidized LPG cylinders by Rs. 37. 50 per cylinder. It will now cost Rs. 904.50 per cylinder of 14.2 Kilogram as against Rs. 942. The subsidized cylinder costs Rs. 410.10 paise per cylinder in Delhi.

Industry sources said the oil firms on Friday hiked the price of diesel for the bulk consumers like Railways , defense and State Transport Corporations by 94 paisa, excluding local sales tax or VAT.

The actual increase for bulk consumers will be up to Rs. 1. 25 per litre. Oil companies were selling diesel to bulk consumers at a rate of Rs. 58.58 per litre as compared to the retail price of Rs. 48.16 per litre sold at petrol pumps in places like Delhi. The hike in bulk diesel price was necessitated by the firming up of international oil rates.

Sources said oil firms continue to incur a loss of Rs. 439 on sale of every subsidized LPG cylinder. On kerosene, they lose Rs. 33.43 per litre and will end the fiscal with a loss of Rs. 1, 63,500 crore on fuel sales.