Commercial LPG price cut by ₹183.5: Opposition calls it a hollow favour
Synopsis
The Centre cut commercial LPG prices by ₹183.50 on 1 July — but opposition parties from Congress, SP, and RJD say it is too little, too late. With domestic cylinders untouched, petrol and diesel unchanged at state pumps, and Nayara Energy independently cutting fuel prices the same day, the government's partial rollback is facing pointed questions about who the relief is actually for.
Key Takeaways
Oil Marketing Companies reduced 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder prices by up to ₹183.50 across major cities, effective 1 July .
Domestic LPG cylinder prices remain unchanged.
Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput called the cut a hollow favour, noting commercial prices had earlier risen to around ₹1,500–₹2,000 per cylinder.
Samajwadi Party and RJD demanded parallel cuts to petrol, diesel, and domestic LPG prices.
Nayara Energy independently cut petrol by ₹5/litre and diesel by ₹3/litre on the same day, the first such reduction since West Asia tensions eased.
Opposition parties on Wednesday, 1 July sharply criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central government after state-owned Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) reduced the price of 19-kg commercial LPG cylinders by up to ₹183.50 across major cities, effective 1 July. Leaders from the Indian National Congress (Congress), Samajwadi Party (SP), and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) dismissed the move as cosmetic relief following steep earlier hikes, with one Congress leader likening it to 'taking away someone's eyes and then donating glasses.'
What Changed on 1 July
The reduction in commercial LPG prices applies to the 19-kg cylinder used by restaurants, hotels, and other commercial establishments. Domestic LPG cylinders used in households, however, remain at existing prices and were not part of Wednesday's revision. The cut follows a period during which commercial cylinder prices had climbed to roughly ₹1,500–₹2,000 per cylinder, according to opposition leaders.
Separately, Nayara Energy, India's largest private fuel retailer, on Wednesday reduced petrol prices by ₹5 per litre and diesel prices by ₹3 per litre across its nationwide retail network — the first cut in retail fuel prices since global crude oil prices began easing following the de-escalation of tensions in West Asia.
What the Opposition Said
Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput said: 'The BJP does a favour on the public by taking away their eyes and then donating glasses. Earlier, the prices went up to around ₹1,500 or ₹2,000 per cylinder. The prices of commercial gas cylinders were increased by the Union government and now by reducing the prices by just ₹183.50, they want to garner praise.'
Rajput also noted that 'the entire country is reeling under inflation' and that restaurant owners had been particularly hard-hit by the sustained price increases.
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chand pointed to the broader pricing picture, arguing that the Centre had 'still not reduced the prices of petrol and diesel.' He added that under the BJP-led government, commodity prices 'only benefit the businessmen and never come back to what the initial prices were,' and called for cuts to domestic LPG, petrol, and diesel prices as well.
RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari echoed that view, saying: 'First they increase prices then say that it has been reduced. People are suffering due to inflation across the country.'
Context: Global Crude and Domestic Pricing
The opposition criticism comes amid a sustained easing in global crude oil prices, partly attributed to the de-escalation of tensions in West Asia. Critics argue that the government has been slow to pass on the benefits of lower crude costs to consumers, particularly on petrol, diesel, and domestic cooking gas. Nayara Energy's independent fuel price cut on the same day added weight to that argument, as it signals that market conditions do support a reduction — a point the SP's Chand explicitly raised.
This is not the first time the government has faced such criticism: opposition parties have repeatedly questioned the asymmetry between rapid price increases during crude oil spikes and slower, partial rollbacks when global prices ease.
What Comes Next
Pressure is now mounting on the Centre to extend relief to domestic LPG consumers and to revise petrol and diesel prices at state-owned fuel retailers. Industry observers note that with global crude remaining subdued, the fiscal space for a broader price revision exists — the political calculus, however, remains the key variable.
Point of View
But it arrives after months of elevated prices and conspicuously excludes domestic consumers. The fact that Nayara Energy moved on petrol and diesel the very same day undermines the government's implicit argument that global conditions do not yet permit broader cuts. Opposition parties are right to press the asymmetry — prices rise fast and fall slowly under both UPA and NDA dispensations — but their credibility on this issue depends on whether they would act differently. The more substantive question is whether the Centre will extend the rollback to household cylinders before the next electoral cycle makes it look purely transactional.
NationPress
1 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How much has the commercial LPG cylinder price been reduced?
State-owned Oil Marketing Companies reduced the price of the 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder by up to ₹183.50 across major cities, effective 1 July. The cut applies only to commercial cylinders used by restaurants and hotels, not to domestic household cylinders.
Why are opposition parties criticising the LPG price cut?
Opposition leaders argue the reduction is inadequate given that commercial LPG prices had earlier risen to around ₹1,500–₹2,000 per cylinder. Congress, Samajwadi Party, and RJD say the government is seeking credit for a partial rollback of its own price hikes, while domestic LPG, petrol, and diesel prices remain untouched at state-run pumps.
Have petrol and diesel prices also been cut?
State-owned fuel retailers have not revised petrol or diesel prices. However, Nayara Energy, India's largest private fuel retailer, independently cut petrol by ₹5 per litre and diesel by ₹3 per litre on 1 July — the first reduction since global crude eased following the de-escalation of West Asia tensions.
Who benefits from the commercial LPG price cut?
The cut directly benefits commercial users such as restaurants, hotels, dhabas, and catering businesses that rely on 19-kg LPG cylinders. Household consumers using domestic cylinders do not see any price change under the current revision.
What is driving the demand for broader fuel price cuts?
Global crude oil prices have eased following the de-escalation of tensions in West Asia, creating fiscal room for price reductions. Opposition parties and industry observers argue the government should pass on these savings to consumers across petrol, diesel, and domestic LPG — not just commercial cylinders.
