Cooking gas prices have increased across India, driving up the cost of both domestic and commercial LPG cylinders amid supply disruptions. The crisis has forced some Indian kitchens to drop certain foods from their menus, while some establishments are scrambling to find gas alternatives.
The price of a 14.2 kg gas cylinder for home cooking has been increased by ₹60 around a week ago, while the 19 kg commercial cylinder has become more expensive ₹144 in major cities and states of the country.
The revision comes amid disruptions to LPG supply chains caused by an escalating conflict in West Asia involving the US, Israel and Iran.
A joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran, followed by retaliation by the Islamic Republic, led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which India receives 85-90% of its LPG imports from West Asian countries, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
How is India tackling the cooking gas crisis?
The central government on Tuesday invoked the Essential Commodities Act of 1955 aimed at maintaining natural gas supplies amid supply shortages in the country due to geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
The Act empowers the Center to regulate or prohibit the production, supply, distribution, trade and commerce of essential commodities such as food, fertilisers, medicines and fuel. This step is usually used to prevent hoarding, black marketing and artificial scarcity.
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Meanwhile, India is also procuring additional supplies of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from new suppliers, including the United States, Norway, Canada and Russia, while continuing to supply available exporters from the Gulf region, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday (March 12th).
Domestic and Commercial LPG Price in Major Cities of India — Complete List
CityDomestic ratesCommercial ratesNew Delhi ₹913 ₹1,884.50mumbai ₹912.50 ₹1,836Calcutta ₹939 ₹1,988.50Chennai ₹928.50 ₹2,043.50Hyderabad ₹965 ₹2,105.50Lucknow ₹950.50 ₹2007Bengaluru ₹915.50 ₹1,958Patna ₹1,002.50 ₹2,133.50
Restaurants and canteens bear the brunt of the crisis
Communities, canteens, hotels and restaurants across the country are facing severe disruption due to restrictions on non-domestic LPG supply and four priority sectors.
Some restaurants have stopped serving non-vegetarian dishes like mutton because they take longer to cook and use more gas for cooking. Meanwhile, in cities like Hyderabad, food establishments are being forced to switch to firewood stoves.
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As a result, langars and Atal canteens have also been forced to curtail menu options and come up with contingency plans, while restaurants are also actively changing menus, raising prices and even temporarily shutting down operations to reduce fuel consumption.
Although the price of commercial and domestic cylinders has increased, it is important to note that LPG jerrycan rates under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana remain unchanged, PTI reported earlier.
The scheme covers more than 10 million gas connections that are provided to low-income households in the country.
