Steep LPG price hike to hurt all sections

 

The Centre has bitten the bullet and increased the price of commercial LPG and ‘chotu’ cylinders on Friday, adversely impacting the ‘Aam Admi’ and the elite alike. Eating out will become more expensive as hotels, restaurants, catering services and dhabas use commercial LPG, while the lesser well-off face the brunt by shelling out more for smaller cylinders.

The commercial cylinder will now cost `3,071.5, a jump of `933 and ‘chotu’ `810.50 as against the earlier cost of `549. Chotu now costs just a shade lower than the `913 rate for a 14.2-kg cylinder used in household kitchens (called domestic LPG). However, the price of a domestic cylinder was not touched. 

As per revision, a 19-kg commercial LPG — used by establishments such as hotels and restaurants — now costs a record `3,071.5 in Delhi as against `2,078.50 previously. Rates were last increased by 195.50 per cylinder on April 1. Before that, prices had gone up by `114.5 per 19-kg cylinder on March 1. In three increases, commercial LPG rates have gone up by `1,303.

Disruption in supplies caused by the ongoing West Asia conflict forced the government to go in for a big jump in prices and the possibility of a petrol and diesel hike ranging from `4 to 5 in the near future is not ruled out, according to sources. However, there was no increase in the prices of domestic cylinders. But there is a possibility to increase domestic LPG prices by `40-50.

As expected, the Opposition slammed the decision and claimed it had forecast that the hike in LPG and fuel prices would take place after elections in five states.  Electioneering ended on April 29. The Congress attacked the Modi government over the hike in price of commercial LPG cylinder, with Rahul Gandhi saying this is an “election bill” and the next “strike” will be on petrol and diesel.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said he had warned that the heat of inflation would strike after the elections. “Today, commercial gas cylinders have become `993 more expensive. This marks the single largest hike in a single day.

This is an election bill,” Rahul said in his post in Hindi on X. “Since February: A hike of `1,380, an 81 per cent increase in just three months. Tea stalls, dhabas, hotels, bakeries, sweet shops — the burden on every kitchen has increased. And this will inevitably impact your plate as well,” Rahul said.

The first strike was on gas; the next will be on petrol and diesel, he added.

For consumers, particularly those who depend on eateries for at least one daily meal, this marks another sharp blow.