LPG cylinder price hike adds strain on household budgets in Bengaluru

LPG cylinder price hike in Bengaluru sparks concern among citizens, impacting household budgets and daily wage earners.

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In a move that could further strain household budgets, the price of domestic LPG cylinders has been increased by ₹50, Union Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced on Monday, sparking concern among citizens already grappling with rising costs of living in Bengaluru.

With the revision, Ujjwala scheme beneficiaries will now pay ₹553 for a 14.2 kg cylinder in the national capital, up from ₹503. General category customers will see their cylinder price rise from ₹803 to ₹853.

“For a middle-class family like ours, every rupee counts,” said Geeta Sharma, a homemaker in Banaswadi. “We’ve already cut back on a lot, recently the Karnataka government increased milk prices. Now, even basic cooking is becoming expensive. How much more should we adjust?”

Daily wage earners and lower-income groups are feeling the pinch more acutely. “We got the connection under the Ujjwala scheme, but what’s the point if we can’t afford refills?” said Manjunath K.M., an autorickshaw driver in BTM layout.

With cooking gas being a basic necessity, citizens and Opposition parties are calling for the rollback of the hike, saying it disproportionately affects poor and working-class families. “The cost of living in Bengaluru is rising sharply — rents are soaring, and the State government has increased fuel and milk prices. Now, this hike in LPG cylinder prices by the central government, even for Ujjwala scheme beneficiaries, will impact us significantly,” Mr Manjunath added.