Consumers face higher household expenses as domestic cooking gas (LPG) prices rise by Rs 29 per cylinder, reflecting the ongoing impact of elevated global energy costs on state-owned fuel retailers.
Key Points
- Domestic cooking gas (LPG) cylinder price has increased by Rs 29, making it Rs 942 in Delhi.
- This marks the second LPG price hike in three months, primarily driven by elevated global energy costs.
- State-owned oil marketing companies are incurring substantial losses on sales of LPG, petrol, and diesel.
- The LPG price increase is part of a broader trend of rising fuel costs, including petrol, diesel, and CNG.
- The Indian government is partially absorbing international price rises through state-owned fuel retailers to mitigate consumer impact.
Domestic cooking gas LPG price has been raised by Rs 29 per cylinder, marking the second increase in three months as State-owned fuel retailers continue to grapple with elevated global energy costs. The price of a 14.2-kg LPG cylinder in Delhi will rise to Rs 942 from Rs 913 with effect from June 7, according to industry sources.
Understanding Fuel Price Hikes
The increase follows a Rs 60-per-cylinder hike on March 7 after the conflict in West Asia disrupted global energy supplies and drove up international fuel prices. Industry sources said that the increase had only partly offset losses incurred on domestic LPG sales. State-run oil marketing companies were estimated to be losing about Rs 703 on every LPG cylinder sold before the latest revision, the sources said.
The LPG price hike comes amid a broader round of fuel price increases. Petrol and diesel prices have been raised by a cumulative Rs 7.50 per litre since mid-May, while compressed natural gas (CNG) rates have increased by about Rs 6 per kg.
Despite the recent increases, oil companies continue to sell petrol and diesel below cost, incurring losses of around Rs 11 per litre on petrol and Rs 33.6 per litre on diesel, according to industry sources. The government has so far avoided a full pass-through of higher international energy prices to consumers, absorbing part of the increase through state-owned fuel retailers as global crude oil and fuel markets remain volatile.
