ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on Tuesday sought an increase of up to 200 per cent in the prices of gas for domestic consumers from July 1.

The Petroleum Division has forwarded the summary in this regard to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), which is likely to take the matter up tomorrow.

According to the summary, price for the domestic consumers using less than 50 cubic metres a month has been proposed to be increased from Rs121 to Rs184 per million British thermal unit (MMBTU), hence increasing the monthly bill from Rs285 to Rs422.

Price for the domestic consumers using gas between 50 and 100 cubic metres has been proposed at Rs369 from Rs127, hence increasing the monthly bill from Rs572 to Rs1,219.

The rate for the consumers using 100-200 cubic meters gas per month has been calculated at Rs553 per MMBTU from Rs264. It will increase the monthly bill from Rs2,305 to Rs4,009.

This may be noted that on June 22, Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed had said that railway fares would be increased by seven percent from July 1.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed had said the growth in fuel prices had affected railway the most. However, he had said, fare would not be raised on travelling up to 50 kilometer.

He said up to Rs100 fare would be raised on economy class, while this price rise would not be applicable on the tickets that had already been bought. He said most of the revenue was generated from freight trains and not passenger train.