LPG price hike adds to burden on Bengaluru households

Bengaluru, 

The cost of preparing daily meals has become more expensive for households across Bengaluru after the price of a 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder was increased by Rs 29, taking the retail price from Rs 915.50 to Rs 944.50. The latest revision has added fresh pressure on already stretched household budgets. The increase comes just three months after a Rs 60 hike in March, pushing the cumulative rise in LPG prices this year to nearly Rs 90 per cylinder.

“It is very unfortunate that we now have to pay almost Rs 1,000 for a gas cylinder. It is a basic necessity for every household. If prices keep increasing like this, how are people expected to manage? It feels as though they are directly affecting our ability to afford food. They are directly hitting our stomachs,” said Viji, a single mother, speaking to News Trail.

She added that the latest increase would force her to reassess her monthly expenses and expressed concern that the prices of other essential commodi ties could also rise in the coming months. Questioning the repeated price revisions, Viji said it was ordinary citizens who ultimately bore the burden of rising costs. Another resident noted that middle-class and lower-income families would be the worst affected.

“Households are already struggling to cope with existing expenses, and this hike has only made matters worse. Higher LPG prices are likely to have a ripple effect, increasing transportation costs, commodity prices and even restaurant bills,” she said. Calling for government intervention, Daniel Martin P., a resident with a family of five who purchases one LPG cylinder every month, said support was needed for vulnerable households. “The government must help people during difficult times like these. Some form of subsidy should be pro vided, especially for fami lies with limited incomes,” he said.

Daniel added that if the increase was linked to the ongoing conflict in West Asia and its impact on global energy markets, the Central Government should introduce measures to ease the burden on consumers. “Our salaries remain the same, but the prices of essential commodities keep rising,” said Deepa Jagadeesh, Daniel’s wife. She pointed out that several household essentials have witnessed sharp price increases since the beginning of the year, forcing families to repeatedly adjust their budgets while their incomes remain unchanged, adding to the strain of Bengaluru’s already high cost of living.