In a move likely to burn a hole in household budgets, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday announced a ₹50 hike in LPG cylinder prices, effective April 8. The increase applies uniformly to both subsidised and non-subsidised consumers, including beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).
The revised price for a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder will now be ₹853 for general consumers, up from ₹803. For Ujjwala scheme users, the cost will rise from ₹503 to ₹553. Puri attributed the hike to market dynamics and the ongoing need for oil marketing companies to recover from losses.
The government has also raised excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹2 per litre, but clarified that this move is not meant to affect retail fuel prices. The minister said the excise hike is a measure to offset a ₹43,000 crore loss incurred by oil companies due to past subsidised rates.
While the Union Minister insisted the measures were necessary, the price hike has sparked widespread concern, especially among low-income households and daily wage earners who depend on LPG for cooking. With the government confirming that LPG prices will be reviewed every 2-3 weeks, more fluctuations in household energy costs seem inevitable.
