Business
Commercial LPG Cylinder Pricing Reflects International Benchmark Pricing: Govt
Amid reports of a Rs 111 increase in the price of commercial LPG cylinders, the Government on Thursday said that commercial LPG prices are market-determined and directly linked to international benchmarks. Any revision in commercial LPG prices reflects changes in global LPG prices and related costs, while domestic LPG prices for household consumers remain unchanged, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas said.
The ministry said that India imports around 60 per cent of its total LPG requirement. As a result, domestic LPG pricing is linked to international prices, with Saudi Contract Price (CP) acting as the global benchmark. “Accordingly, revisions in commercial LPG prices reflect movements in global LPG prices and associated costs. The prices of domestic LPG remains unchanged,” the ministry added.
While the average Saudi CP increased by about 21 per cent from $ 385 per metric tonne in July 2023 to $ 466 per metric tonne in November 2025, domestic LPG prices in India were actually reduced by around 22 per cent during the same period.
The price came down from Rs 1103 in August 2023 to Rs 853 in November 2025. To protect household consumers, the effective price of a 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder, which costs around Rs 950, is being provided at Rs 853 for non-PMUY consumers in Delhi.
For beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), the effective price is even lower at Rs 553. This marks a reduction of nearly 39 per cent for PMUY consumers, compared to Rs 903 in August 2023, highlighting the Government’s focus on ensuring continued access to clean cooking fuel for economically weaker sections. There has been no change in these prices.
For the financial year 2025–26, the Government has approved the continuation of a targeted subsidy of Rs 300 per domestic LPG cylinder for PMUY beneficiaries, covering up to nine refills per year.
An expenditure of Rs 12,000 crore has been approved for this purpose — reinforcing the commitment to affordable clean energy for households.
Despite a rise in international LPG prices during 2024–25, the increased cost was not passed on to domestic consumers. This resulted in losses of about Rs 40,000 crore for Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).
Business
Greggs launches chicken version of sausage and vegan rolls in ‘iconic trilogy’
Greggs is launching a chicken version of its customer favourite sausage and vegan rolls in a permanent addition to its menu.
The Chicken Roll – described by the high street baker as “seasoned chicken wrapped in layers of crisp, golden, glazed puff pastry” contains 305 calories and will cost £1.35 when it goes on sale on Thursday.
It follows the Sausage Roll and the pork free Vegan Roll.
To celebrate the final launch of the “trilogy”, Greggs is allowing customers the chance to be among the first to taste the new roll with a 20-minute slot between 3.30pm and 9pm on Wednesday (April 8) at a pop-up location at 15 Bateman Street, in London’s Soho.
Places will be given on a first-come first-served basis but, in a nod to the trilogy theme, guests must arrive as part of a trio of friends or family.
Visitors will be able to pair their three complimentary rolls with a free chicken-themed cocktail or mocktail.
A Greggs spokeswoman said: “They say the best things come in threes, and our iconic roll trilogy is no exception.
“We can’t wait for our customers to experience the Chicken Roll as the ultimate headline act of our flaky franchise.”
Over the past year, Greggs has come under pressure from cautious shoppers affected by the rising cost of living, higher tax and labour costs, and the growing use of weight-loss treatments.
Last month, the Newcastle-based firm reported that statutory pre-tax profits fell by 17.9% to £167.4 million for the year to December 27, compared with a year earlier.
It also told shareholders that total sales grew by 6.8% to £2.15 billion over the year, with like-for-like growth buoyed by its continued store opening programme.
Greggs said it had 121 net store openings in 2025, expanding its shop estate to 2,739 locations by the end of the year.
It is targeting around 120 further openings this year as it highlighted ambitions to grow to “significantly more than 3,000 UK shops over longer term”.
Business
Trump administration finalizes better-than-feared Medicare Advantage payment rate in boost to health insurers
Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Mehmet Oz speaks during an event sponsored by the Action for Progress Coalition, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., U.S., Feb. 2, 2026.
Al Drago | Reuters
The Trump administration on Monday finalized a 2027 payment rate increase to privately run Medicare plans that was far bigger than initially proposed, a boost to health insurer stocks.
The government will increase average Medicare Advantage payments by 2.48%, or more than $13 billion, in 2027, according to a release from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The Trump administration in January proposed a payment rate hike of 0.09%, which pummeled shares of insurers that run those plans.
Shares of UnitedHealth and CVS Health rose more than 9% in after-hours trading on Monday. Meanwhile, Humana‘s stock jumped around 12%.
“Medicare Advantage and Part D should work for the people who rely on them,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz in a release. “These updates keep coverage affordable and ensure patients get real value from their plans.”
The closely watched government payment rate determines how much insurers can charge for monthly premiums and plan benefits they offer and, ultimately, their profits.
Medicare Advantage is a privately run health insurance plan contracted by Medicare. More than half of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in such plans, enticed by lower monthly premiums and extra benefits not covered by traditional Medicare, according to health policy research firm KFF.
Business
New norms for NH & bridge works: Longer timelines, realistic deadlines – The Times of India
New Delhi: In a major change in policy, govt has increased the time allowed for construction of 6-10 km-long bridges across rivers such as Ganga and Brahmaputra to six years and for 2.5-6 km-long bridges on Mahanadi and Godavari to five years. The timelines have been revised from the current 24-30 months.Similarly, the construction period has been fixed at two years for national highway projects costing up to Rs 500 crore, 30 months for Rs 500-1,500 crore projects, and three years for works costing over Rs 1,500 crore.The change in the ‘normative construction period’ has been made after a gap of 13 years, learning from past experience of how the average time taken for completion of NH projects has been over four years against the standard timeline of 2.5-3 years. The revised timeline for construction will be applicable for all NH projects to be bid out from May 6.In a circular, the road transport ministry said present guidelines — issued in 2013 — are derived from a legacy linear model that does not explicitly account for voluminous earthwork, leading to unrealistic construction period and resulting in additional cost and risk.“Therefore, a need was felt to revise the existing guidelines based on scientific analysis, understanding of completed projects, and prescribe a realistic construction period for civil works at DPR and bid invitation stage,” the ministry said. It added that the new norm will improve predictability in completion of projects, reduce disputes, enhance value and quality of NHs, for realistic and bankable bids, better quality outcomes and improved investor confidence.An additional six months time has been provisioned in the new norms for critical projects which involve multiple flyovers, tunnels or elevated structures. Similarly, an addition of 12 months has been provisioned for projects that involve cutting and slope stabilisation in hilly states.
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