Movement of petrol and diesel on Indian Railways upto 700 km would be cheaper by 10.7 per cent to Rs 103.35 per quintal from existing Rs 115.75 per quintal from April 2003, due to rationlisation of freight structure announced by Railway Minister Nitish Kumar.

According to the proposals in the Railway Budget 2003-04 tabled on Wednesday in Parliament freight charges for petrol upto 700 kms will be cheaper by 10.7 per cent while for diesel it will be less by 7.7 per cent.

Charges for high speed diesel would now be Rs 99.22 per quintal from current level of Rs 107.48 whereas LPG movement will be lower by 7.5 per cent from Rs 82.68 to Rs 76.48.

Kumar has also proposed to bring down freight charges on iron and steel by 5.3 per cent to Rs 74.41 per quintal from Rs 78.55 per quintal and refined vegetable oil by 5.4 per cent while retaining the existing movement charges for Sugar at Rs 43.41 per quintal and urea, grain and pulses at Rs 37.21.

While proposing to halve the 'to-pay' surcharge on normal freight to 5.0 per cent for booking of all commodities, Kumar has also proposed to reduce it on coal to 10 per cent from 15 per cent.

The proposed freight rates have also been brought down by 3.7 per cent for clinker and manganese ore to Rs 53.74 per quintal from Rs 55.81.

Freights for cement is also proposed to be reduced by 3.6 per cent to Rs 55.81 per quintal from Rs 57.88 while for soda ash it would now be Rs 57.88 per quintal from Rs 62.01 down by 6.7 per cent.

PTI