From stove to cylinder, this is how your kitchen has changed in 25 years
LPG gas, which has spread from cities to rural areas, has transformed Indian kitchens over the past 25 years. While cylinder prices have risen exponentially, the Ujjwala Yojana, PAHAL-DBT, and subsidy policies have kept millions of families connected to clean, safe, and accessible fuel.
Once confined to cities, LPG gas has now become commonplace in rural kitchens. Emerging from clay stoves and the smoke of wood and coal, millions of women across the country are now cooking clean, safe, and conveniently using LPG cylinders.
This transformation over the past two and a half decades is not just a reflection of the implementation of government schemes, but also of a changing social mindset.
However, during this period, LPG cylinder prices have steadily risen. The price at which a gas cylinder was available 25 years ago has now increased manifold, increasing the burden on the average consumer.
On the other hand, the government has periodically implemented numerous subsidies and welfare schemes to mitigate the impact of this rising cost.
From the Ujjwala Yojana to Direct Bank Transfer (DBT), these initiatives have proven to be milestones in providing relief to the poor and middle class and expanding access to clean fuel.
This begs the question: how much have LPG cylinder prices actually increased over the past 25 years? What steps has the government taken to make LPG affordable and accessible, and what impact have these measures had on the lives of ordinary people? To understand these aspects, it's important to examine data, policies, and ground realities.
1989-2000: Price rose from 57.60 to 232.25
Going back 25 years, according to a report in the New Indian Express, in 1989, the price of a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder was ₹57.60.
As the years passed, the price of LPG cylinders continued to rise. In 2000, it suddenly jumped from ₹146 to ₹196.55, and by the end of 2000, the price had reached ₹232.25.
2001-2010: Price fluctuations
The next 10 years were crucial for LPG prices, as they rose to ₹346.30 in 2009. However, they were reduced to ₹279.70 in 2010, providing significant relief to consumers. However, this joy was short-lived, as prices were raised again in 2010, reaching ₹345.35.
2011 to 2025: Huge increase in LPG prices
According to data from Good Returns, LPG gas prices have risen sharply since 2011. In 2014, prices reached ₹1,241, but in 2015-16, subsidy adjustments brought them down to ₹606.
By 2020, they remained at ₹594, then fluctuated after COVID, before stabilizing at ₹803-853 in Delhi in 2024-25. Overall, prices increased 4-5 times over 25 years, but subsidies provided relief to the poor. At the current rate, a 14.2-kg LPG cylinder currently costs ₹852.50 on Good Returns