Domestic gas prices may rise again as govt explores floor price mechanism

Agencies
September 28, 2020

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New Delhi, Sept 28: CNG and piped natural gas prices could face an increase this festive season if the government implements a new floor price mechanism for gas produced from domestic fields by companies such as Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).

Sources said the petroleum ministry is considering a proposal under which domestic gas will have a floor pricing that would prevent fuel prices from crashing below an identified threshold in the current subdued market conditions and insulate oil and gas explorers like ONGC from a tariff crash.

Talks are on to link gas prices with price Japan-Korea Marker, a benchmark index used to determine LNG tariff in North Asia with a discount.

With JKM prices hovering over $ 5 million British thermal units (mmBtu) even with day $ 1 mmBtu discount, the Indian gas floor price under this formula will be close to $ 4 mmBtu. This is much higher than the government administered price of $ 2.39 mmBtu for the April-October, 2020 period. And if implemented, it could increase the cost for all gas consumers.

"Nothing has been finalised on having a gas floor price as of now. A panel in the petroleum ministry is looking at various options and the best course would be adopted that has little impact on consumers but also supports oil and gas companies with remunerative and sustainable gas prices."

The average cost of gas production for the country's largest public sector oil company ONGC is about $3.7/mmBtu, much higher than the current regulated price of natural gas at $2.39/mmBtu. This is expected to fall further to about $1.9/mmBtu for the next six months beginning October 1 under the current formula, sources said.

Lower gas prices is bad news for ONGC as it would mean further suppressed margins and losses. The company is set to lose close to Rs 6,000 crore on low gas prices this year, brokerages have said.

Brokerages have put ONGC's FY22E gas price at US$3.6-4.2/mmbtu depending on discount to JKM price if the new floor price is implemented. With Low L NG liquefaction capacity addition ahead, JKM spot futures for FY22-FY26E are expected at US$5.2-5.8/mmbtu vs US$4.7-4.1/mmbtu in FY20-FY21E.

Oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said earlier that India will phase out price controls in natural gas and make it market-linked soon.

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News Network
November 28,2024

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Mangaluru, Nov 28: In a major breakthrough, police have arrested Rahul, alias Bol Karmaveer Eshwar Jat, a Haryana native, for a brutal train murder committed on October 25. Rahul, a notorious interstate serial offender, was apprehended after a relentless investigation involving multiple state police forces.

The October 25 incident occurred during a train journey when Rahul got into an argument over a cigarette with Mauzzam, a resident of Chikkaballapur. The altercation escalated, leading to Rahul strangling Mauzzam to death. He fled the scene with the victim’s mobile phone, bag, and cash.

Muazzan worked as a sales representative and was differently-abled. He boarded the train on October 24 from Yesvantpur and occupied the Divyang Coach. The incident came to light on the morning of October 25 at Udupi, where a railway guard found Muazzam unresponsive. The railway police immediately rushed him to the hospital, but doctors declared him dead.

Accused Rahul was tracked down through an exhaustive review of over 2,000 CCTV recordings by police teams from Valsad, Vapi, Surat, and Udvada. His identity was eventually confirmed by a vigilant officer from Surat Central Jail, leading to his capture in a joint operation by Railway and Surat police.

Rahul’s criminal record reveals a trail of horrifying offenses across Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Haryana, and West Bengal. Among these are the rape of a mentally ill minor girl in Pune and the rape and murder of a 19-year-old woman near Udvada railway station in Gujarat's Vapi district. Despite being arrested in the past, Rahul resumed his crimes after securing bail.

On November 19, he allegedly stabbed a 60-year-old man to death aboard the Katihar Express in West Bengal, with a case registered at the Howrah police station. In Telangana, he confessed to murdering a woman in yet another shocking crime.

Public Advisory:

  • Stay vigilant when traveling on trains, especially during late hours.
  • Report suspicious individuals or activities to railway authorities immediately.
  • Ensure your personal belongings are secure while traveling.
  • This arrest brings a sense of relief, but the investigations continue as authorities piece together the full extent of Rahul’s crimes.

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News Network
November 27,2024

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Gaza health authorities say Israel’s military has "erased” over 1,400 Palestinian families in the besieged territory over the past year.

The Health Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that the Israeli regime "completely erased about 1,410 families, numbering 5,444 people, from the civil registry during the same period.”

It said that there were 3,463 families with only one survivor, while 2,287 families had more than one survivor.

In northern Gaza, Israel’s warplanes have continued dropping bombs over Palestinian families, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

It said one airstrike hit a family home in Jabalia, causing numerous casualties on Tuesday.

According to Gaza's civil defense agency, at least seven people were killed and several others wounded in the attack.

Another person was killed in a strike on a house in nearby Beit Lahia, a town in northern Gaza, which has been declared “a disaster area" by the municipality due to "the Israeli war of extermination and siege, and it has no food, water, hospitals, doctors, services, or communications."

The health ministry said, “Israeli forces killed 14 people and injured 108 others in three massacres of families in the last 24 hours.”

“Many people are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them.”

International organizations and leaders believe that Israel’s genocidal war, now in its second year, is a deliberate attempt to destroy the population of Gaza.

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News Network
November 28,2024

Mangaluru: The upcoming assembly session at Suvarna Soudha, Belagavi, scheduled from December 9 to 19, will primarily focus on addressing issues pertaining to North Karnataka, according to Assembly Speaker U T Khader. "While the main emphasis will be on North Karnataka, concerns from other regions will also be part of the discussions," he clarified.

Speaking to reporters at the Circuit House in Mangaluru on Thursday, Khader shared that a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee had been convened, with the Chief Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and other key figures in attendance to ensure effective deliberations during the session.

"The session was initially planned from December 9 to 20. However, it was later decided to conclude it by December 19, as the All India Kannada Literary Convention is set to begin on December 20 in Mandya," Khader explained.

When asked about the process for discussions in the Assembly, Khader assured, "Discussions will take place according to the established rules."

The Speaker also highlighted his participation in various international conferences. "As Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, I have consistently sought opportunities to represent the Assembly at overseas conventions. I am pleased to announce that I will be attending the International Peace Conference in Vatican City," he said. "It is an honor to participate as a representative of the Mangaluru constituency and as the Speaker of the Assembly."

In response to questions about government grants, Khader remarked, "Grants do not come automatically. MLAs must actively follow up with the relevant authorities rather than simply complain about the lack of grants in their constituencies."

Addressing the tragic incident of three students drowning at a resort in Ullal, the Speaker emphasized, "The Deputy Commissioner has been instructed to enforce strict safety measures in resorts to prevent such incidents in the future."

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