The government must make it a point that Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) delivers the shortfall of gas it still owes at the old price of $4.2 per million British thermal unit, the Finance Ministry has suggested to the Oil Ministry.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) recently approved the proposal to double rates of natural gas from $4.2 to $8.4 per million British thermal unit starting April 1, 2014.

The Department of Expenditure in the Union Finance Ministry has now asked the Oil Ministry to take appropriate action on suggestions for putting a cap up to which rates can be raised, and that RIL be made to sell the quantity of gas it has failed to deliver during past years at the price of $4.2.

The department wrote in the letter, "Once Reliance overcomes the `technical difficulty'., the government must ensure the company delivers the shortfall it still owes at the old price of USD 4.2 rather than getting the benefit of the new price."

As per the CCEA's approved new gas pricing formula, domestic gas would be priced using formula based on weight age of imported liquefied natural gas and international hub rates.

A senior official said the Department of Expenditure wrote the letter to forward concerns raised by stakeholders to the oil ministry as suggestions.