Business
Commercial LPG cylinders cheaper by Rs 51.50; ATF cut by 1.4%, domestic gas prices unchanged – The Times of India
Prices of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) and commercial LPG were reduced on Monday, bringing partial relief to airlines and businesses, though domestic cooking gas rates remain steady.Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices were cut by 1.4 per cent on Monday, while commercial LPG cylinders became cheaper by Rs 51.50, reflecting a decline in global benchmark rates, PTI reported.According to state-owned fuel retailers, jet fuel in the national capital was cut by Rs 1,308.41 per kilolitre, or 1.4 per cent, to Rs 90,713.52 per kl. This comes after two consecutive monthly hikes since July, which together raised ATF prices by Rs 8,949.38 per kl in line with spurt in international oil rates triggered by geopolitical tensions and trade wars.Fuel accounts for nearly 40 per cent of operating costs for airlines, and the cut is expected to ease some of the pressure, though carriers did not immediately comment on the move. In Mumbai, ATF was priced at Rs 84,832.83 per kl, down from Rs 86,077.14, while in Chennai and Kolkata prices were revised upward to Rs 94,151.96 and Rs 93,886.18 per kl, respectively. Rates vary across cities depending on local taxes like VAT.Alongside, the price of commercial LPG used in hotels and restaurants was reduced by Rs 51.50 per 19-kg cylinder, with the new rate in Delhi at Rs 1,580. This marks the sixth straight monthly cut since April, with cumulative reductions totalling Rs 223 per cylinder. Rates were last cut by Rs 33.50 on August 1.While oil prices remain volatile globally, benchmark LPG rates have softened because of subdued demand during summer months. Domestic LPG prices, however, remain unchanged at Rs 853 per 14.2-kg cylinder, after a Rs 50 hike in April.Public sector oil firms — Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) — adjust ATF and cooking gas rates on the first day of every month based on international benchmarks and currency exchange rates.Petrol and diesel prices have been frozen since mid-March last year, when they were cut by Rs 2 a litre ahead of general elections. Petrol costs Rs 94.72 a litre in Delhi, while diesel is priced at Rs 87.62.
Debbie JacksonBBC Scotland News
Getty ImagesPeak rail fares have been scrapped on ScotRail trains, meaning passengers will no longer pay higher prices for travelling on busy weekday trains.
Until now, many ScotRail tickets were based on the time of travel. Edinburgh to Glasgow peak times will be almost 50% cheaper, with trips between Perth and Dundee a third lower.
The Scottish government-owned operator said its aim was to get more commuters out of cars and onto trains.
Season tickets and fares on routes with peak time prices are unchanged. Multi-journey flexipass tickets have been adjusted with smaller savings.
Peak ScotRail fares used to cover tickets bought for travel before 09:15 on weekdays and certain services between 16:42 and 18:30.
A pilot scheme scrapping peak-time fares, a policy championed by the Scottish Greens, was introduced in 2023 but ended in September 2024 after ministers said the costs of the subsidy could not be justified.
However, in his programme for government speech in May, First Minister John Swinney announced that peak fares would again be scrapped.
Speaking at the launch of the scheme in Edinburgh on Monday, he said it would help people to move “from their cars onto trains”, which would provide environmental benefits.
He added: “This is financially sustainable because it’s an investment in the rail network and it’s an investment in the people of Scotland.
“People in Scotland simply travelling from Edinburgh to Glasgow on a daily basis will see their travel costs fall by almost 50%. That’s a massive saving when people are struggling financially.”
ScotRail ticketing will also be more straightforward and flexible under the new system, the firm has said.
How is scrapping peak fares being paid for?
ScotRail has been owned and run by the Scottish government since 2022.
In October 2023 the rail firm started a year-long trial of scrapping peak fares with the aim of persuading more people to swap car journeys for rail travel.
Last year, Scottish ministers announced the trial had “limited success” and would not be extended.
An evaluation of the first nine months of the trial found passenger levels increased by a maximum of about 6.8%.
This represented around four million extra rail journeys, of which two million are journeys that would previously have been made by private car.
However, the scheme required a 10% rise to be self-financing.
Scotland’s Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop also said at the time that the pilot “primarily benefited existing train passengers and those with medium to higher incomes”.
The evaluation found the estimated cost of the scheme was “in the annual range of £25m to £30m per annum (in 2024 prices) with the possibility of being as large as £40m”.
Swinney said he expected the annual cost to be between £40m to £45m each year and lead to a “huge saving” for individuals.
If the new scheme does not become self-financing through an increase in passenger numbers, the costs will be met from the ScotRail budget.
This is made up of revenue from passenger fares and the £1.6bn the Scottish government puts into rail services every year.
Getty ImagesJoanne Maguire, managing director at ScotRail told BBC Scotland News: “We are really excited at the opportunity to get more customers out of their cars and onto the railway.
“If you are travelling from Edinburgh to Glasgow you will see a saving of about 50%.
“From Inverkeithing to Edinburgh, you will save 40% and between Inverness and Elgin it is 35% – so it’s great news for our passengers.”
Ms Maguire said the trial period had seen an increase in passenger numbers and that ScotRail had enjoyed a successful summer of moving customers around to numerous big leisure events.
She added that the goal now was to grow the commuter passenger base.
‘Deeply unfair tax’
Several passengers at Glasgow’s Queen Street station told BBC Scotland News they were unaware that peak time fares had been dropped – but welcomed the move.
Student Robbie McCormack said: “I commute every day for college and it’s quite expensive.
“I’ll be able to save throughout the week, save more college money and get something else for lunch.”
Passenger Tommy Whitelaw travels across Scotland giving talks to charities and care homes.
He said the end of peak fares removed the limits on when many people could travel.
He added: “It makes a difference to everybody, its our duty to make everything achievable for people.
“The cost of living shrinks our world, this is one way to open it up a wee bit.”
Susan Watts, from Leeds, told BBC Your Voice that peak fares should be scrapped UK-wide.
She said: “Our complicated fare system is enough to put anyone off using trains.
“In Italy, I paid the same price for a ticket when I turned up an hour before as if I’d booked months earlier – the price is just the price.”
Green MSP Mark Ruskell said peak rail fares were a “deeply unfair tax” on people who had no say over when they needed to travel.
“I am delighted that we are finally rid of them,” he said.
“I’m glad that the Scottish government has finally listened to the Greens, the trade unions and the rail users who were responsible for securing the initial pilot.”
New Delhi: Gross GST collection in August rose 6.5 percent year-on-year to Rs 1.86 lakh crore, supported mainly by stronger domestic revenue, according to government data released on Monday.
In comparison, gross GST collection stood at Rs 1.75 lakh crore in August 2024, while July 2025 had recorded a higher figure of Rs 1.96 lakh crore.
Domestic revenue grew 9.6 percent to Rs 1.37 lakh crore in August, while GST from imports declined 1.2 percent to Rs 49,354 crore. Refunds during the month dropped 20 percent year-on-year to Rs 19,359 crore.
After refunds, the net GST revenue came to Rs 1.67 lakh crore in August 2025, showing a robust 10.7 percent annual growth.
The latest GST data comes just ahead of the GST Council meeting, where the Centre and states are expected to discuss rate rationalisation and a possible reduction in the number of tax slabs.
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In India, this global momentum is mirrored by a surge in CoinDCX’s trading volumes and deeper investor conviction
CoinDCX recorded ₹23,497.35 crore in spot trading volume in H1 2025, up 37% compared to H1 2024.
CoinDCX, India’s largest crypto exchange, today unveiled the Half-Year Report at a pivotal moment for the global digital asset ecosystem. The re-election of U.S. President Donald Trump has triggered a wave of pro-crypto policy momentum, including proposals for a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the GENIUS Act, a comprehensive stablecoin regulation bill. At the same time, institutional confidence is rising globally, with the European Union beginning implementation of its MiCA framework and Hong Kong introducing Asia’s most advanced stablecoin licensing regime. These shifts are fueling a renewed sense of legitimacy and long-term potential in crypto markets.
In India, this global momentum is mirrored by a surge in CoinDCX’s trading volumes and deeper investor conviction.
CoinDCX recorded ₹23,497.35 crore in spot trading volume in H1 2025, up 37% compared to H1 2024. Over 70% of these volumes were concentrated in Bitcoin and foundational Layer 1 blockchains, demonstrating a decisive shift from speculative trading to infrastructure-focused conviction. The average number of tokens held per investor is four, reflecting growing portfolio diversification.
In a significant sign of long-term investor intent, CoinDCX saw over 2.08 lakh systematic investment plans (SIPs) created in H1 2025—a staggering 1071% year-on-year increase. This behavior shift indicates a maturing investor mindset, driven by awareness, patience, and a belief in long-term value creation.
India’s investor base also evolved demographically. The average age is 31, women now comprise 15% of CoinDCX’s user base, and smaller cities like Faridabad and Nashik have emerged as fast-growing crypto adoption hubs. CoinDCX’s registered user base grew by 18.75% in H1 2025 compared to H1 2024, driven by robust education efforts and sustained trust-building initiatives.
Sumit Gupta, Co-founder, CoinDCX, said, “Crypto remains one of the most dynamic asset classes today. H1 2025 saw strong trading activity on CoinDCX, and the momentum has only accelerated as we entered H2. In the first two weeks of July alone, our platform recorded over $192 million in trading volumes, a 40% jump from June. Bitcoin volumes grew even faster, up 80%, driven by renewed investor interest as BTC crossed $116,000.”
“What’s even more promising is the evolution of our investor base. The average age of our users has now risen to 30, with growing participation from the 25–35 age group, reflecting deeper conviction and maturity. We’re also seeing a healthy uptick in adoption from tier-2 and tier-3 cities, and female participation now stands at 13–14%, steadily rising year on year. These shifts reinforce our belief that crypto is becoming more inclusive, mainstream, and long-term focused,” Sumit added,
CoinDCX accelerated its India-first roadmap. In H1 2025, the company:
- Launched India’s largest crypto education initiative with Upsurge, empowering over 2.7 lakh users
- Upgraded its Pro-trader stack, integrating Tradetron-powered algo trading and MarketWind strategy signals
- Published monthly Transparency Reports, disclosing platform health, user protections, and TDS compliance.
About CoinDCX
Established in 2018, CoinDCX is India’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, trusted by over 2 crore registered users. Our mission is to provide easy access to Web3 experiences and democratize investments in virtual digital assets. We prioritize user safety and security, strictly adhering to KYC and AML guidelines.
CoinDCX’s Web3 arm Okto Chain is advancing chain abstraction by building a fully expressive orchestration layer. Through CoinDCX Ventures, we have invested in over 15 innovative Web3 projects, reinforcing our dedication to the Web3 ecosystem. Our flagship educational initiative, #NamasteWeb3, empowers Indians with crypto knowledge, preparing them for the future of virtual digital assets.
CoinDCX has gained the confidence of global investors, including Pantera, Steadview Capital, Kingsway, Polychain Capital, B Capital Group, Bain Capital Ventures, Cadenza, Draper Dragon, Republic, Kindred, and Coinbase Ventures.
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