The price of cooking gas was on Saturday increased by Rs 50 per cylinder with the second rate hike in less than two months pushing the price for about 289 million households to over Rs 1,000 per 14.2 kg refill in many places. This change in price comes mainly because of the rising international energy costs due to the Ukraine war.

According to Indane prices published by dealers of state-run Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), domestic liquified petroleum gas (LPG) on Saturday jumped to Rs 999.50 per cylinder in Delhi.

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It is reported that cooking gas prices may vary across the country based on local levies and transportation costs.

For instance, its cost in Gujarat’s Navsari town is Rs 1,008.50 per 14.2 kg cylinder, Rs 1,026 in Ludhiana (Punjab), Rs 1,015.50 in Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and Rs 1,098 in Patna (Bihar).

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The reports further stated that India’s cooking gas market is dominated by three state-run oil marketing companies – IOC, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL).

They had last hiked their rate by Rs 50 per cylinder on March 22 to Rs 949.50 in Delhi after over a year.

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This is not the first time that cooking gas prices have skyrocketed. In January 2014 it was Rs 1,241 per 14.2 kg cylinder in Delhi. Since then its rates remained volatile, but since May 1, 2020 (at Rs 581.5 per cylinder) its prices moved up in an unilinear direction barring a minor Rs 10 per cylinder price reduction in April 2021.

According to a statement of the petroleum ministry issued in 2021, as on January 1, 2021, total domestic LPG consumers in the country were 28.9 crore (289 million), besides, 70.75 lakh (7.75 million) domestic consumers were also using piped natural gas (PNG).

The companies on May 1 had already raised prices of commercial LPG cylinders by Rs 102.50 per 19 kg to Rs 2,355.50 from Rs 2,253 and a hike in domestic LPG was expected.