OGRA notifies Rs2/KG hike in LPG price for current fortnight

ISLAMABAD: After a hike in the sales tax, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has jacked up the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by Rs 2 per kg for the last 15 days of February 2023, and issued a notification in this regard.

According to the OGRA notification, LPG price has been fixed at Rs 266/kg after witnessing a hike of Rs 2/kg while the price of domestic cylinder has been increased by Rs 27 and commercial cylinder by Rs 102 for the second half of February 2023.

Following the issuance of the OGRA notification, effective from February 15, LPG will be available at Rs 266/kg, domestic cylinder will be available at Rs 3,141.29 and commercial cylinder at Rs 12,086 in the open market of the country.

Advising all the district presidents of LPG Associations to stage protests against the LPG price hike, Chairman LPG Association Irfan Khokhar said that this is unbearable. He said that instead of giving relief the government has imposed more taxes while a billion rupees subsidy is being offered on imported LNG. 

He added that this is the second increase in LPG price during the month of February. He explained that this is a big blow to the inflation-hit masses that are already bearing the brunt of skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, significant increases in transportation charges and the sky-high prices of the petroleum products in the country. He said that the government should take solid measures to reduce peoples’ problems by improving economic conditions. 

Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of relief, saying the government in order to provide some respite to the public should immediately allow the LPG plant of Jamshoro Joint Venture Limited (JJVL) to start production. This has been closed for the last 32 months and has so far caused a revenue loss of approximately Rs 157 billion. According to him, around 5000 metric tonnes of LPG is being consumed on a daily basis in the country while the daily consumption of the LPG is around 2000 metric tonnes, and the LPG plant of JJVL alone can produce 550-570 metric tonnes of LPG on a daily basis. Owing to widening gap in the demand and supply of local LPG, around 60% of the total needs of LPG is being fulfilled through imported LPG.

These historic highs in LPG prices are unbearable for those who live in remote hilly areas and use this as fuel for lightening, heating or cooking purposes in case of absence of other resources, he added.