New Delhi : Already burdened by rising inflation, the common man has been hit with yet another shock. The Central Government has announced a ₹50 hike in the price of LPG gas cylinders, affecting both regular domestic consumers and beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. The announcement was made by Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday, and the new prices will come into effect from midnight tonight.
With this increase, the price of a 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder for regular consumers will rise from ₹803 to ₹853, while Ujjwala scheme beneficiaries will now pay ₹553 instead of ₹503 for the same cylinder.
Speaking to the media, Minister Puri said, “The price of LPG cylinders will be increased by ₹50. For Ujjwala beneficiaries, the rate will go from ₹500 to ₹550, and for other consumers, it will rise from ₹803 to ₹853. This is a step we will continue to review periodically. We reassess the prices every 2-3 weeks.”
He also clarified that the recent ₹2 hike in excise duty on petrol and diesel, as announced by the Finance Ministry, will not be passed on to consumers. “The hike in excise duty is intended to help oil marketing companies recover a loss of ₹43,000 crore incurred due to under-recovery on LPG cylinders. This burden will not be transferred to petrol and diesel consumers,” he added.
Even though international crude oil prices have dropped to around $60 per barrel, the minister explained that Indian oil companies operate with a rolling stock average. “Our oil marketing companies maintain inventory for 45 days. In January, crude was priced around $83, which later dropped to $75. So the average inventory cost is still close to $75 per barrel. Based on further global trends, we may see a reduction in petrol and diesel prices in the near future,” he said.
This latest LPG price hike is expected to further strain household budgets, particularly for low-income families already grappling with rising costs of essentials.
