High upfront costs, lack of awareness, and inconsistent availability are limiting access to 5-kg LPG cylinders meant for migrant workers and students despite the government doubling the daily allocation to stabilise fuel supplies disrupted by the conflict in West Asia.
Although 1,368 such cylinders are set aside daily for workers and students, only about 50-55% are being purchased from Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), an official source told The Hindu. The 5-kg cylinder, known as free trade LPG (FTL), costs around ₹550 per refill (₹110 per kg) compared with ₹913 for a 14.2-kg domestic cylinder (₹64.2 per kg), making it roughly 71% more expensive on a per kg basis. The initial purchase is even steeper with the first 5-kg cylinder costing about ₹1,550, including the cylinder and gas.
Many migrant workers said they rely on locally made 3-kg or 5-kg cylinders, which were earlier refilled in neighbourhood markets at ₹90-100 per kg. However, these refills are unofficial and not routed through OMCs.
“After the war started, I refilled my local cylinder once with 2 kg of gas at ₹400 per kg. After that, I stopped as it became too expensive. Now, I mostly eat at a nearby hotel,” said Raj Kumar Yadav, 45, at a labour chowk in Bhogal.
