India, April 8 -- In a move likely to burn a hole in household budgets, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday announced a Rs.50 hike in LPG cylinder prices, effective April 8. The increase applies uniformly to both subsidised and non-subsidised consumers, including beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).

The revised price for a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder will now be Rs.853 for general consumers, up from Rs.803. For Ujjwala scheme users, the cost will rise from Rs.503 to Rs.553. Puri attributed the hike to market dynamics and the ongoing need for oil marketing companies to recover from losses.

The government has also raised excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs.2 per litre, but clarified that this move is no...