<p>Small restaurants, tea stalls, and hotels in Tamil Nadu are celebrating a Rs 51.50 price cut for 19 kg commercial LPG cylinders.</p><img><p>From early morning idli and dosa stalls to busy lunchtime mess kitchens and local tea shops, LPG is the backbone of Tamil Nadu’s vibrant food culture. Many of these small businesses operate on thin profit margins. The Rs 51.50 price reduction on commercial cylinders will ease the financial strain caused by rising costs.</p><img>This price reduction is also expected to benefit mid-sized restaurants and catering services that heavily rely on commercial cylinders for their daily operations. Domestic LPG prices remain unchanged. In Chennai, a 14.2 kg domestic cylinder costs ₹868.50, nearly unchanged for five months.<img><p>Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri recently highlighted the central government’s decision to provide Rs 30,000 crore to oil companies in 12 installments. This, he said, has helped keep LPG prices relatively stable despite volatility in global markets. While Chennai households may be disappointed with unchanged domestic prices, the commercial reduction is welcomed by the city’s food businesses as a crucial step in managing kitchen costs and sustaining their services.</p>
