Price of 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder hiked by Rs 50, check new rates here

The inevitable has happened: the price of domestic LPG has been increased by Rs 50 in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and other cities.

Result: In Kolkata, Chennai and Lucknow, it has crossed the Rs 1,000 threshold and will cost Rs 1,026, Rs 1,015.50 and Rs 1,037.50 in the three cities, respectively. However, Mumbai and New Delhi have been saved the blushes and a 14.2-kg non-subsidized LPG cylinder will now cost Rs 999.50.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wasted no time in reacting to the hike, dubbing it as the ‘Great Indian Loot’. “The Union government must immediately stop tormenting the people of India! By repeatedly increasing prices of LPG, fuel and essential commodities, BJP is actually conducting a Great Indian Loot. PEOPLE ARE BEING FOOLED. Sad to see the Media SILENT & BLIND, wrote Mamata on Twitter.

Since the Assembly elections in five states, the prices of petrol, diesel, LPG (both domestic and commercial) and jet fuel have been going up at irregular intervals.

LPG price was last hiked by Rs 50 on March 22, which means that in 45 days, the cost of a cylinder has increased by Rs 100. With six hikes in the past year, domestic LPG prices have jumped by nearly Rs 200 in 12 months, points out TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar. The TMC even conducted a mock workshop on making a clay oven. The reasoning is that the price spiral will force people to go back to the clay oven for cooking food.

On May 1, the price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder was increased by Rs 102.50, to Rs 2355.50.

The Congress party, too, slammed the government on the hike with former party chief Rahul Gandhi saying millions of Indian households are waging a difficult battle against "extreme inflation", unemployment and "poor governance". He said the central government should roll back the LPG hike and bring it to the same level as in 2014.

Gandhi said during the Congress-led UPA government, the price of an LPG cylinder was Rs 414 and a subsidy of Rs 827 was being given on every cylinder. "Today, the cost of a cylinder is Rs. 999. The amount of subsidy being given is 'zero'," he asserted.

The Narendra Modi government has removed all safety nets that the Congress had put in place to protect the common man, Gandhi alleged.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in a tweet in Hindi, "BJP is rich, people are helpless. The price of subsidized LPG cylinder has increased two and a half times under the BJP rule. LPG cylinder is now out of reach of the middle class and the poor."

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera also took a dig at the government over inflation by garlanding two gas cylinders and lighting incense sticks in front of vegetables at the party headquarters here. He said this was a condolence meeting for the gas cylinder.

"Sahib (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) increased the price of a gas cylinder by Rs 50 as soon as he came back from a foreign tour. Once Modi ji had put up huge hoardings and said that surrender the subsidy. Seeing these conditions today, it seems that the cylinder itself should be surrendered," Khera told reporters.

"Our demand is to give some relief to the country. Take back the hike and bring prices to the level of 2014 prices. The country is begging for relief," he said.

Sulakshana Sawant, wife Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, repeated her husband's pet phrase, 'Bhivpachi garaz na' (there's no need to worry), when asked to comment on rising prices of fuel, domestic gas cylinders and milk in the state.