The price of CNG in the national Capital has been hiked by Rs 2 per kg, the 12th increase in rates in just over two months.

CNG in the national Capital territory of Delhi now costs Rs 73.61 per kg, up from Rs 71.61 per kg, according to the information posted on the website of Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL) -- the firm which retails CNG and piped cooking gas in the national capital and adjoining cities.

This is the 12th increase in price since March 7.In all, the CNG price has risen by Rs 17.6 per kg during this period. This includes a Rs 7.50 per kg hike in the month of April alone.  In the last one year, prices have increased by Rs 30.21 per kg or 60 per cent, according to data compiled by PTI. However, the rates of gas piped to household kitchens, called piped natural gas (PNG), remain unchanged at Rs 45.86 per scm.

City gas distributors have been periodically raising prices since October last year, when domestic as well as international gas prices started to climb as economies the world over recovered from the pandemic-induced slowdown. Prices rose by Rs 8.74 per kg in the last three months of 2021, and from January there was a steady increase of about 50 paise a kg almost every week.  The rates have gone up after the government more than doubled the price of natural gas to USD 6.1 per million British thermal unit from April 1.Natural gas when compressed becomes CNG for use as fuel in automobiles. The same gas is piped to household kitchens and industries for cooking and other purposes.

Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) has priced Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) at Rs 76 per kg in Mumbai. Prices vary from city to city depending on the incidence of local taxes such as VAT.The increase in CNG prices follows a Rs 10 per litre hike in petrol and diesel prices in 16 days and a Rs 100 per cylinder increase in the cooking gas LPG rates.