MP News: Samosas Pinches Pocket, As LPG Crisis Deepens; Hits Deendayal Antyodaya Rasoi Yojana

Jhabua/Dhar (Madhya Pradesh): The ubiquitous samosa is feeling the war pinch, with prices jumping between 30% and 50% due to a shortage of LPG cylinders amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia. The impact is worse in the tribal belt, where a majority of people are poor and vulnerable.

In Jhabua, the price has risen to Rs 15 in most places, from Rs 7 to Rs 10 earlier. Sellers are also no longer offering chutney. At established food outlets such as Satkar Hotel and Ashoka Hotel, the price of a samosa has gradually increased from Rs10 to Rs12 and now stands at Rs15. Customers have to pay Rs30 for a samosa served with chutney, sev and dahi.

Rakesh, owner of a small roadside eatery, said, “I increased the price of samosa as we are not getting a regular supply of LPG cylinders, and we often have to purchase them in the black market.”

In Jhabua, authorities have curtailed meals under the Deendayal Antyodaya Rasoi Yojana, which provides food to the urban poor for Rs5. Beneficiaries now receive only rice and dal, with vegetables and rotis removed from the menu.

Deendayal Yojana manager in Jhabua, Deepesh Makhwana, said they have cut the menu due to the cylinder shortage. “Earlier, we provided meals to 100 to 150 people every day, but today only 30 people had food under the scheme,” he said.

A similar situation prevails in tribal Dhar, where the price of samosa has increased from Rs 13 to Rs 15 in the past week due to the same reason.

While many small eateries have switched to coal and wood to run their businesses, several have shut operations temporarily, awaiting improvement in supply conditions. Most larger restaurants and dhabas have also closed down. The situation is similar in Meghnagar, where most food outlets have shut due to the LPG shortage.

In Badnawar in Dhar district, almost all local vendors have switched to coal, which is more expensive and polluting. A similar trend is visible in Kukshi, a tribal-dominated area.

In Mandsaur, prices of samosas and other savouries have not increased so far, but they are likely to rise in the coming days if the shortage continues, if local hoteliers are to be believed.

However, areas such as Alot in Ratlam, Neemuch, Bagh in Dhar district, Garoth in Mandsaur, Jaora in Ratlam, Jawad in Neemuch, Kasrawad in Khargone, Khetia in Barwani and Khargone have so far remained unaffected by the price rise.

(With additional inputs from Meghnagar, Badnawar, Kukshi and Mandsaur)