Hoteliers Plan Hike In Food Prices After Minor Increase In Commercial LPG Prices
AP Star Hotels Association president RV Swamy said, “The price of commercial LPG had been hiked in May and June. Why again now? After giving us some relief, the cost has been revised upwards during the festive season in September and October.
Vijayawada: As the state-owned Oil Marketing Companies hiked the price of a 19kg commercial LPG by Rs 69 from Thursday, the cost of each cylinder refill crossed the Rs 3,000 mark – against the previous Rs 2932.
While the increase is minimal, stakeholders including hoteliers have expressed their resentment. Hoteliers said they would raise the prices of food items.
Similarly, the price of 40.5kg commercial LPG has been revised upwards to Rs 7,500 against the earlier price of Rs 7,328 -- a marginal rise of Rs 172 per refill. However, the cost of domestic LPG cylinders remains unchanged at present.
As for the hike in commercial LPG cylinder price, hoteliers see this as a “major financial burden” on them and are in a mood to pass on the additional burden on the consumers.
AP Star Hotels Association president RV Swamy said, “The price of commercial LPG had been hiked in May and June. Why again now? After giving us some relief, the cost has been revised upwards during the festive season in September and October. Hoteliers are already facing trouble due to the steep hike in transport costs, rise in prices of essential commodities, vegetables etc. Petty traders running tea stalls and small hotels may shut down their business. Job losses to thousands of workers are likely.”
The AP hoteliers have appealed to the central and state governments to intervene and regulate the price of commercial LPG by providing special subsidies and rebate on some taxes.
Hoteliers say that during the US-Iran conflict, the price of commercial LPG was increased by `1,300; and after a while, some relief was given to them by reducing the hike by `300 and now again price has been revised upwards.
AP hotels association president G Srinivasa Rao said, “A state-owned OMC has come forward to offer a discount of `350 per each commercial LPG refill. All other modes of cooking -- by using firewood and power -- are unviable. With not much progress in developing the piped natural gas infrastructure, we have to rely upon commercial LPG, face financial hardships and pass on some financial burden to consumers.”