Kolkata: Middle-class families across Kolkata got a cold shock this Sunday, June 7, as domestic liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices increased by Rs 29, taking the price of a 14.2 kg cylinder to Rs 968.The hike comes just five days after a massive Rs 53.50 hike in commercial gas prices, which now stand at Rs 3,255.50. The volatile Middle East conflict has left the city’s housewives struggling to balance already delicate kitchen budgets.For women who manage household kitchens, this news felt like a direct attack on their monthly savings. In North Kolkata’s Bagbazar, Moushumi Ghosh, a housewife who manages a family of five, expressed her frustration while checking her delivery app.“We are already paying more for vegetables and cooking oil. Now, another Rs 29 for gas? It may seem like a small number to the authorities, but for us, it is a cumulative burden,” said Swapna De, a Tollygunge resident. “Whenever the crisis in West Asia escalates, it is our hearths that feel the heat. We cannot stop eating, so we cut back on clothes or small items for the children in the family.”This sentiment echoed throughout the city. In the residential complexes of Garia, Sumitra Banerjee, a retired teacher, said the stability of domestic gas prices has been one of the few silver linings in recent months.Banerjee commented, “Domestic rates were stable, but this sudden hike – coming so soon after the commercial gas hike – is a warning sign.” “When commercial gas rises, our tea and outside snacks become expensive. Now, cooking even simple food at home is becoming a luxury. How many times can a middle class budget be strained?”Industry experts attribute this increase to the volatility of international crude oil and rising procurement costs. Small cylinders were also not spared: a 5 kg cylinder rose to Rs 358.50, while a 10 kg cylinder reached Rs 691.50.Although the prices of commercial LPG, petrol and diesel were increased several times in the domestic market, keeping in mind the common man, the price of domestic LPG was kept unchanged till now. However, due to continued pressure from the international market and supply-chain crisis, oil companies were finally forced to raise the price of domestic gas in early June, leaving ordinary citizens struggling to balance their monthly expenses.