Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has granted approval to increase the prices of Laugfs Liquid Petroleum (LP) Gas cylinders.
The new price of a 12.5 kg domestic gas cylinder is Rs 1,856.
Accordingly, the old price of a 12.5 kg cylinder has been upwardly revised by Rs 363.
In addition, the price of a mini (5 kg) Laugfs gas cylinder has been raised to Rs 743. This is an increase of Rs 145 from the previous price.
Issuing a statement on the price increase, the State Ministry of Cooperative Services, Marketing Development, and Consumer Protection stated that the Laugfs Gas has requested the CAA to provide a price increase based on the increase in gas prices in the world market.
Following a lengthy study conducted by the Pricing Committee of the CAA, Laugfs has been informed to revise the gas prices as mentioned above.
Accordingly, the Laugfs company has attached the list of prices to be sold at the district level at present.
However, there is no decision to increase the existing prices of Litro Gas, State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna said.
Litro, which has a market share of nearly 85%, will sell at the same price island-wide. The Chairman of Litro Thesara Jayasinghe has informed the Hon. Minister of State that there will be no shortage of gas in the market as Litro has already increased its production capacity and order volume.
Therefore, the State Minister urges consumers not to make excessive purchases in the hope that there will be a shortage.
He added that despite the 100% increase in gas prices in the world market, the government will not allow that burden to be passed on to consumers.
The sub-committee appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers on Gas Prices after a lengthy study to implement the proposals formulated by the management without burdening the consumers with the burden of rising prices in the world market by minimizing the additional costs incurred due to the inefficiency of both the existing gas companies.
The State Minister of State acknowledged and expressed regret that a shortage of gas has arisen at present due to the failure to pass on the increase in world market prices to the consumers and as a result, the consumers have to face some inconvenience.
