Domestic cooking gas LPG price hiked by `25

Subsidised LPG now costs `859 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi; Cong slams govt for hike

New Delhi: Domestic cooking gas LPG price on Wednesday was increased by `25 per cylinder — the second straight month of increase in rates. Subsidised LPG now costs `859 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi, according to a price notification of oil companies.

New Delhi, Aug. 18: PTI Domestic cooking gas LPG price on Wednesday was increased by `25 per cylinder — the second straight month of increase in rates. Subsidised LPG now costs `859 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi, according to a price notification of oil companies. This is the second straight month of a price increase. Rates were hiked by `25.50 per cylinder on July 1.

Non-subsidised LPG rates were increased on August 1 by the same proportion, and now the subsidised cooking gas prices have been raised. There is hardly any difference in the rate of subsidised and non-subsidised cooking gas.

Industry sources said the subsidised LPG price was not raised on August 1 because Parliament was in session and the government could have been attacked by the opposition. The latest increase in subsidised LPG price now has taken the cumulative rate hike since January 1 to `165 per cylinder. The government eliminated subsidies on LPG by raising rates every month.

These monthly increases led to the elimination of subsidies by May 2020.

The price of domestic cooking gas has more than doubled in the last seven years. The retail selling price of domestic gas was `410.5 per 14.2-kg cylinder on March 1, 2014. In Mumbai, a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder now costs `859.5, while in Kolkata, it is priced at `886. For people of Chennai, an LPG cylinder will now cost `875.50, up from `850.50.

The Congress on Wednesday hit out at the government over the hike in prices of LPG cylinders, accusing it of being insensitive and distorting the budget of every household.

The party also displayed empty LPG cylinders and “chulhas” at a press conference here to highlight the issue of steep LPG prices.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate urged the government to bring down prices of LPG cylinders to provide relief to the common people in the country.

She said the government has initiated the very steep hike on LPG cylinders by raising it by Rs 25 per cylinder, which is now being sold at `860 per cylinder in Delhi and is touching almost `1,000 in various parts of the country.

“Our one and only demand is please bring some respite to people, think about the plight of people and bring down prices of LPG cylinders. This is anti-women and anti-people and due to high prices people are forced to go back to using cow dung and firewood,” she told reporters.