Cooking gas prices have been increased by ₹25 per cylinder, the second such hike in a little over fortnight bound to impact further the already strained budget of households across the country.
Besides that of the 14.2 kg domestic liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) refills supplied to households, price of commercial LPG cylinders used by tea stalls, roadside eateries and restaurants as well as industrial units has also gone up. Eating out thus is likely to cost more if food joints decide to pass through.
Following the revision, effective for deliveries from September 1, price of a domestic LPG cylinder in Delhi is ₹884.50 (₹859.50); Mumbai ₹884.50 (₹859.50); Kolkata ₹911 (₹886); and Chennai ₹900.50 (₹875.50).Households in Hyderabad will pay ₹937 per refill as against ₹912 at which they got refills. These are non-subsidised cylinder prices.
There, however, is little to cheer for households eligible for subsidy as sources say the subsidy component – credited into bank accounts of customers – over the past one and a half year has shrunk to the extent of being negligible.
Usually changed on 1st of every month, LPG prices have been on the boil since last quarter of 2020. Global prices of propane and butane as well as foreign exchange rates determine LPG prices. National oil corporations India Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum, who between them command a lion’s share of the market, had increased LPG cylinder prices more than once a few months this period.
The last time the three companies revised LPG prices was on August 17. The quantum of increase then was also ₹25 per 14.2 kg domestic cylinder. The latest increase is the seventh such upward revision this year. Price of a refill has soared by ₹190 for households since January or by ₹290 since December.
The only instance of a reduction this year was on April 1, when the refill price dropped ₹10.
Consumers are unlikely to get respite from rising prices in the months ahead as global LPG prices firm up with onset of winter. In India, LPG consumption increases with the beginning of the festive season in September and lasts till February by when winter is also on the wane.
Sources said with the latest revision commercial LPG prices are ₹1,694 (₹1,618) for a 19-kg cylinder in Delhi; ₹1,649.50 (₹1,574.50) in Mumbai; ₹1,770.50 (₹1,697) in Kolkata; ₹1,831 (₹1,756) in Chennai; and ₹1,872 (₹1,798) in Hyderabad.
