The prices of non-subsidised Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) domestic cylinders have been hiked again by Rs 25 a piece on Wednesday. After the latest hike, a domestic cylinder (14.2 kilograms) would cost Rs 884.50 a piece in Delhi.
The price of a 19-kg commercial cylinder has also been increased by Rs 75, which will now cost Rs 1,693 in Delhi. This is the second consecutive hike in a span of two weeks and third since June 1.
Generally, the LPG cylinder prices are revised on the 1st and 15th of every month by the oil marketing companies (OMCs). Between January 1 and September 1, the price of cooking gas cylinders has gone up by Rs 190 each. At present prices, electric cooking is cheaper than LPG.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slammed the Government on Twitter over the price hike of LPG cyclinder saying the public was forced to sleep on an empty stomach.
“The one who is forcing the public to sleep on an empty stomach is resting under the shadow of his friends,” the Congress MP claimed. Officials said the oil companies had held back LPG price hikes on August 1 to ease pressure on the government during the Parliament session.
In Mumbai, the rate of 14.2 kg LPG cylinder is now Rs 884.5, it was previously sold at Rs 859.50. For a cooking gas cylinder in Chennai, LPG cylinder will cost Rs 900.50, which was being at Rs 875.50 till August 31. For an LPG cylinder in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow, you will have to pay Rs 897.5.
A domestic cylinder cost Rs 809 a piece on June 1, this was hiked to Rs 834 a piece on July 1. The price was once again hiked by Rs 25 a piece on August 17, taking the price to Rs 859 a cylinder. The price of domestic cooking gas has more than doubled in the last seven years.
The retail selling price of domestic gas was Rs 410.5 per 14.2-kg cylinder on March 1, 2014.
The Government eliminated subsidies on LPG by raising rates every month. These monthly increases led to the elimination of subsidies by May 2020. In India, the OMCs sell 14.2 kg cylinders to domestic households at the prices prevalent in the open market, but the government provides subsidies for 12 such cylinders to every household each year with the help of a direct benefit transfer to their bank accounts.