The government raised the prices of both domestic and commercial LPG cylinders following the outbreak of conflict in West Asia on 28 February. The increase was due to supply shortages caused by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies.
Tensions over the shipping route intensified after Iran briefly opened the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, only to reverse course within hours. Following the announcement, the United States imposed a blockade on vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports. Shipping activity across the strait has fallen sharply since the start of the Iran conflict.
Dozens of commercial vessels passed through the strait before Iran closed the passage again, later warning that any ship approaching would be considered a target. Only four ships have crossed in either direction since Sunday, according to marine tracking company Kpler.
Can non-Iranian ships still pass through the route?
Officials have previously said ships bound for non-Iranian destinations can still pass through the route, although they may encounter an increased military presence and communications controls.
Roughly one fifth of global oil and gas exports normally pass through the Strait of Hormuz. India imports around 60% of its LPG requirements and “of these imports, about 90% through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been affected by current events,” the government said earlier.
Despite supply shortages in recent weeks, the government says LPG supplies in India remain stable and sufficient. She also constantly advised customers to avoid panic bookings and hoarding of LPG cylinders.
LPG rate changes to date
Domestic LPG prices have been revised once, while commercial cooking gas rates have been revised twice in the past few months, severely impacting restaurants, eateries and other businesses that rely on the fuel to run.
The price of a 14.2 kg domestic LPG canister has risen remarkably ₹60 in March. however, no rate revisions were made thereafter, so domestic LPG prices remained stable across the country.
Meanwhile, the price of a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder was first increased ₹144 in March, followed by another hike of almost ₹200 on 1st April.
Check LPG prices for the city on April 21
CityDomestic (14.2 Kg)Commercial (19 Kg)New Delhi ₹913.00 ₹2,078.50 Calcutta ₹939.00 ₹2,208.50 Bombay ₹912.50 ₹2,031.00 chennai ₹928.50 ₹2,246.50 Gurgaon ₹921.50 ₹2,096.50 Noida ₹910.50 ₹2,078.50 Bengaluru ₹915.50 ₹2,161.00 Bhubaneshwar ₹939.00 ₹2,245.00 Chandigarh ₹922.50 ₹2,099.50 Hyderabad ₹965.00 ₹2,320.50 of Jaipur ₹916.50 ₹2,106.00 Lucknow ₹950.50 ₹2,201.00 Patna ₹1,002.50 ₹2,353.50
The center urges people to switch to alternative energy sources
The government has begun encouraging households and industry to switch to alternative energy sources in order to ease pressure on domestic fuel supplies and reduce dependence on imports. The development comes after global oil prices topped $100 a barrel amid the West Asian crisis.
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Amid concerns over LPG availability, consumers were encouraged to switch to electric stoves and piped natural gas (PNG), while industries dependent on commercial LPG were asked to switch to PNG and electric furnaces. In early March, the induction cooktops sold out quickly and sold out in major Indian cities amid panic.
“LPG is under pressure and hence consumers have been repeatedly asked to switch to other available energy sources – PNG or electric stoves,” Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum, said at a media briefing on Monday.
