Digital Desk: The
Congress hit back at the Centre on Saturday, alleging that the price of
domestic liquified petroleum gas (LPG) has increased by Rs 50 per cylinder,
making it out of reach for the poor and middle classes.
"The
cost of subsidised cooking gas has escalated by 2.5 times, making it out of
reach for poor and middle-class homes," claimed Congress general secretary
Randeep Surjewala in a tweet, comparing prices from 2014 to 2022.
Cooking gas became
more expensive by Rs 50 per cylinder on Saturday, raising the price to above Rs
1,000 every 14.2 kg refill in major areas, following the second rate hike in
less than two months.
Surjewala expressed
concern about the price increase of Rs 100 in the recent 45 days. On March 22,
the price was hiked by Rs 50.
Surjewala
said that the cost of cooking gas had climbed by Rs 585.50 from May 2014, when
it was Rs 414. He urged that the price be reduced to match the rate in 2014. He
went on to say that the then-Congress government offered LPG subsidies worth Rs
39,558 crore in 2012-13 and Rs 46,458 crore in 2013-14.
"It is our demand
that the present price of domestic LPG gas be reduced to that of 2014,"
senior Congress leader Pawan Khera stated at a press conference held at the
party's headquarters on Saturday.
Earlier
this month, the price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder was raised by Rs 102.
A 5-kg commercial LPG cylinder has increased in price to Rs 655.
This isn't the first time that cooking gas costs have risen dramatically. In January 2014, the price of a 14.2 kilogram cylinder in Delhi was Rs 1,241. According to official data, its costs have been erratic since then, but starting May 1, 2020 (at Rs 581.5 per cylinder), they have proceeded up in a unilinear trajectory, with the exception of a modest Rs 10 per cylinder price cut in April 2021.
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