KOLKATA: The people of Kolkata will have to spend Rs 861 for a cylinder of cooking gas and Rs 1,629 for industrial gas. The price of a cylinder of cooking gas has gone up by Rs 25.50, the highest in recent times.
"This is going to affect the middle class dearly. This is another anti-people step taken by the Centre," said Chandrima Bhattacharya, Trinamool Mahila Congress president and state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister.
The price of LPG, which is used to run auto rickshaws, has gone up by Rs 2.57 per litre in Kolkata. Earlier, it was Rs 48.04 per litre.
Criticising the anti-people policy of the Centre, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien tweeted: "Excise duty on petrol and diesel saw a record rise last year when crude oil prices were at an all-time low."
The price of petrol in Kolkata is Rs 98.64 per litre and that of Diesel is Rs 92.03 per litre.
There has not been any change in their prices on Thursday.
O' Brien said in June 2014, excise duty on petrol and diesel was Rs 9.05 and Rs 3.06 respectively.
In June 2018 , it was Rs 19.05 and Rs 15.30 respectively. However, in June 2021, it was Rs 33 and Rs 31.80 respectively.
The hike in fuel prices has affected the middle class badly as the prices of essential commodities have gone up alarmingly, he maintained.