LPG price hike: 94 percent Indians angry over government’s move

C Voter-India Tracker conducted a countrywide survey to gauge public reactions to the recent increase. And the results are surely not going to go down well with the government

Early this week, the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) was hiked by Rs 50 per cylinder. Non-subsidized cylinders will now cost Rs 1,053 per 14.2-kg cylinder in the national capital, up from Rs 1,003 previously. This is the third increase in rates since May on firming international energy prices. On May 7, the LPG cylinder became costlier by Rs 50. Further, on March 22 also, there was a hike of Rs 50 in the price of the cylinder. Prices have gone up by Rs 244 per cylinder since June 2021. Of this, Rs 153.50 increase happened since March 2022.

C Voter-India Tracker conducted a countrywide survey to gauge public reactions to the recent increase. And the results are surely not going to go down well with the government. A whopping 94 percent of the respondents were either very angry or angry with the government's decision to increase the price of LPG cylinders, while only 6 percent supported the move.

For urban poor the unprecedented rise is bound to compound their misery. And this was clearly reflected in the survey as well. 95 percent of people belonging to lower income group and 93 percent of people belonging to middle income group expressed displeasure with the government's decision to increase the price of LPG cylinders. Among the urban class, the poll found that the sentiment is was a bit muted in comparison to the lower and middle income voters, with 88 percent reporting anger, while 12 percent respondents supported the government's move.

Although both urban as well as rural voters expressed comparable views with 95 per cent of city voters and 94 per cent of rural voters fuming over the hike in the value of cooking gas. Among the social groups, majority of the dalits, tribals, OBCs and upper caste Hindus expressed their anger, while Muslims and Sikhs were rather cautious lot, with 8 percent and 16 percent respondents not expressing their displeasure.

One data that is going to be an eye-opener for the government is the overwhelming anger by NDA supporters to government's latest move. 92 percent of NDA voters and 94 percent of UPA voters were not happy with the decision.

Cylinder prices have long been a hotly-debated political issue in India. The sharp increase in prices is bound to compound misery of households grappling with runaway inflation and rising prices of various commodities. The results of this survey clearly shows that the LPG price hike has not gone down well with the consumers.