Moderate income families struggle as LPG cylinder prices hiked again

PUNE: With the price of 14

PUNE: With the price of 14.2kg domestic LPG cylinders hiked again by Rs25 to reach Rs862.50 per cylinder as on August 19, moderate income families in the city are struggling to manage their monthly budget. As per records, the price per LPG cylinder in the city has increased by almost Rs265.50 since September last year and families who depend on the commodity are finding it difficult to make ends’ meet.

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Sarika Bharati, a resident of the Dhankawadi area and a homemaker who takes care of a family of four, said, “We have a single connection of LPG and need to refill our cylinder after every 40 days almost as apart from cooking, we use LPG for other purposes too such as heating the water. With the persistent price hike, my budget has collapsed completely. My husband is a car driver. We have two sons and have to manage our livelihoods and their education. With the rise in prices of essential items such as edible oil, petrol, diesel and LPG, the overall expenditure has increased while income has reduced due to covid and lockdowns.”

Surekha Landge, who works as a domestic help, pointed out that families like hers have no other option but LPG. “Should we go back to using the kerosene stove? Also, everyone cannot afford electrical appliances for cooking as they also raise electricity bills. So, LPG has been an affordable option for many families. But with prices soaring coupled with limited income, things have become difficult to manage.”

Some citizens expressed the view that just like record hikes in the prices of petrol and diesel, LPG prices also seemed uncontrollable and that at this rate, the price of a LPG cylinder would soon cross the Rs1,000 mark in the near future.

Ramesh Karanjakar, a resident of Kothrud, said, “Nobody had thought that one day petrol would cross Rs100 and diesel would near the same mark. We used to joke about it but now it has become a reality. Given the trend, LPG cylinders too will cross the Rs1,000 mark and we still will not be able to do anything about it. There seems to be no end to the miseries of the common man and no one seems to care.”