New Delhi, March 2
A day after oil companies raised petrol price by Rs 1.40 a litre, bulk prices of diesel for consumers such as railways, industry and defence has been hiked by almost Rs 1 per litre. The breather: an unsubsidised LPG cylinder will cost Rs 37.50 less.

The change in prices is part of a periodic review of deregulated prices of petroleum products that oil companies undertake. The retail price of diesel sold through petrol pumps and subsidised LPG cylinders is unchanged. Consumers are now allowed nine subsidised cylinders a year.

The government had in January allowed state-owned oil firms to sell diesel to all consumers taking supplies from their installations at market price. Following that decision, oil companies sold diesel to bulk consumers at Rs 58.58 per litre as compared to Rs 48.16 per litre price of the fuel at petrol pumps in Delhi. Malls, commercial properties and residential complexes that use large diesel gensets are also impacted.

Oil firms hiked the price of diesel for bulk consumers by 94 paisa, excluding local VAT. The actual increase for consumers will be up to Rs 1.25 per litre. The hike in bulk diesel price was necessitated by the firming up of international oil rates.

Oil companies also cut the price of cooking gas that consumers will have to buy beyond their quota of subsidised cylinders. Non-subsidised LPG will cost Rs 904.50 per 14.2-kg cylinder as against Rs 942 previously.