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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

MGL imposes 20 pc gas cut on bakeries

Soon, Mumbai to starve of vada-pav, pav-bhaji Mumbai: The city of dreams fueled by vada-pav and pav-bhaji could soon face a nightmarish food crunch. Amid the ongoing commercial LPG crisis, Mumbai’s piped natural gas (PNG) supplier Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) has imposed a 20pc cut in gas offtake by bakeries, forcing scale down of production of laadi-pav, breads and other bakery staples that feed millions daily, plus an ominous price hike soon. The MGL directive follows a central order (March...

MGL imposes 20 pc gas cut on bakeries

Soon, Mumbai to starve of vada-pav, pav-bhaji Mumbai: The city of dreams fueled by vada-pav and pav-bhaji could soon face a nightmarish food crunch. Amid the ongoing commercial LPG crisis, Mumbai’s piped natural gas (PNG) supplier Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) has imposed a 20pc cut in gas offtake by bakeries, forcing scale down of production of laadi-pav, breads and other bakery staples that feed millions daily, plus an ominous price hike soon. The MGL directive follows a central order (March 9), calling upon all bakeries to restrict their gas consumption to only 80 pc of their average usage over the past six months. The new rule came into effect from March 12, immediately sending alarm bells ringing across Mumbai’s panicky bakery network. In a missive to bakery owners, MGL also indicated that PNG prices would be revised shortly due to “gas pooling” arrangements, with the final rates to be announced after consultations with suppliers and the government. It further warned that any bakery exceeding the new consumption cap could face penal tariffs or even abrupt disconnection of gas supply. For hundreds of bakeries already grappling with a crippling shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, the move served to fuel the prevailing uncertainty. “This could virtually paralyse Mumbai’s food chain, hitting the common masses worst,” warned Khodadad Irani, President of the Indian Bakers Association (IBA). “There are nearly 300 registered bakeries in South Mumbai alone and around 1,000 across the city. Together they produce almost half the city’s daily requirement of around 70 lakh laadi-pavs. More than half of these bakeries depend on LPG to fire their ovens. With LGP supplies disrupted and now PNG curtailed, many may be forced to shut down within days,” a glum Irani told ‘The Perfect Voice.’ He explained the staggering implications of the potential disruption round the corner - on average, each bakery churns out around 1,500 trays (laadis) of pav every day, employs 30-50 workers per unit, and outside the flaming ovens, an entire informal economy thrives on the humble pav. Two Lakh Workers Nearly two lakh delivery workers ferry fresh bread across the city each morning on bicycles and motorcycles, supplying to all from roadside stalls to high-end eateries and corporates. Besides, over six lakh vendors run small stalls selling the city’s beloved yummies - vada-pav, samosa-pav, bhajiya-pav, usal-misal-pav, pav-bhaji, dabelis. “Under such a scenario, if bakeries pause or shut down, there will be huge consequences. Not only will common people suffer, but close to a million livelihoods linked to this ecosystem could be hit,” Irani pointed out. He reminded the authorities how bakeries remained operational during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring a steady supply of bread and pav when Mumbai reeled under lockdown. “We kept our ovens running then despite enormous risks, to ensure Mumbai would not go hungry. But now we are facing a dire fuel shortage, and until commercial LPG quotas are normalized, we simply cannot continue operations,” Irani said grimly. With desperation creeping in both among the bakers and their customers, some bakeries have begun buying LPG cylinders on the black market at three to four times the official price, and others are allegedly diverting domestic cylinders to power their industrial ovens. Ironically, the sector had only recently initiated a painful transition to cleaner fuels - following court-mandated environmental directives in 2025 - by scrapping their traditional coal or wood-fired ovens to invest in PNG-LPG-based systems, or electric powered ovens. “Most of us complied with the shift to eco-friendly fuels. But now those very fuels are scarce. If the situation is not resolved quickly, Mumbai could soon wake up to a shocking reality - a city without pav,” Irani predicted. Neighbourhood bakers fret Local bakers say the crisis threatens not only the supply of laadi-pav but a wide range of popular bakery products that have a ready market. They include: sweet bun-pav, tutti-frutti pav, kharis, rusks, crunchy bruns, toasts, puffs, pastries, brownies, cupcakes, nankhatais, cookies, mini-pizzas, unbranded biscuits, et al. “Mumbai is a crowded city. It cannot survive without bakeries running 24x7. Many people eat only one proper meal at home and rely on street foods and snacks outside. Everything depends on steady fuel supply. If bakeries stop, the entire food chain - from corporate canteens to school kitchens and mass caterers - will be doomed,” fumed a contract baker Mohsin Alvi.

Shinde falls in line, decks clear for BJP CM

Updated: Nov 29, 2024

Shinde

Mumbai: Breaking his silence four days after the assembly election results, Maharashtra Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde on Wednesday said he has assured PM Narendra Modi that he will abide by whatever decision the BJP takes on naming his successor.


Shinde's announcement followed vociferous demands by his Shiv Sena party leaders that he continue as CM as the ruling Mahayuti alliance scored a landslide victory under his leadership.


Political observers said that with Shinde falling in line, the stage is set for a new government, likely headed by BJP's Devendra Fadnavis, to be sworn in.


Addressing a packed press conference at his home in Thane, Shinde (60) said he will “fully support” BJP leadership's decision to name the next CM, and won't be a hurdle in the process.


“Our Shiv Sena will fully support the BJP's decision to name the next Maharashtra CM. There is no speed breaker from our side,” Shinde said, showing no trace on his face of having to swallow the bitter pill.


Deputy CM Ajit Pawar told reporters that the new CM is likely to be sworn in either on November 30 or December 1. There will be two deputy chief ministers in the new government, he added.


Shinde rubbished reports that he was disappointed for not getting a second term as CM despite the ruling Mahayuti alliance winning a thumping victory under his leadership.


"Nobody is annoyed. We have worked as Mahayuti," he said.


Asked if he was dismayed that he was not getting a second term, Shinde said, “There is no such thing. You must remember that BJP supported my tenure as CM.”


“There is a meeting in Delhi tomorrow with Amit bhai (Shah) and all related decisions will be taken there,” Shinde said, adding the modalities of forming the new government will be finalised in meeting at Delhi.


“I thank the people and voters of Maharashtra once again for this landslide victory in the recent assembly elections,” he said.


“I am a worker forever; for me, CM is not Chief Minister but Common Man,” he said.


Shinde thanked PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for supporting him during his two-and-a-half year tenure as chief minister.


“I am not disappointed. We fight and don't cry,” Shinde said, referring to media reports that he was unhappy over being asked to step down despite leading the Mahayuti to a massive poll victory.


“I worked as the CM not to become popular but for the welfare of people of Maharashtra,” Shinde said.


Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule thanked Shinde for stating that he will abide by the decision of the top BJP leadership on the next chief minister of the state.


Speaking to reporters in Nagpur soon after Shinde, at present a caretaker chief minister, made clear his stand, Bawankule slammed the opposition for trying to spread rumours and cast aspersions on Shinde's character.


"I want to thank Shinde. He today made clear his stand on the chief minister's post. He has taken an important stand. I am proud of him," the BJP leader said.


Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole claimed that the BJP's central leadership pressured Shinde to give up his claim on the chief minister's post.


Patole said it was suspicious that so much time was being taken to form the next government despite the Mahayuti alliance getting a brute majority.

"The BJP's central leadership pressured Shinde to give up his claim on the CM post," he said.


Senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said Shinde must be confused and bewildered because of the mandate which was not expected. Union minister and RPI (A) leader Ramdas Athawale voiced support for Devendra Fadnavis as the next chief minister, but stressed that he would abide by the BJP "high command's" decision on the matter.


Mahayuti leaders to meet BJP leadership

Mahayuti leaders are likely to meet the top BJP brass in New Delhi on Thursday, sources said, indicating that the formula of one chief minister and two deputy CMs representing the three major 'Mahayuti' constituents will be followed in the new government in the state.


While the BJP is tipped to get the chief ministerial post, its two allies -- Shiv Sena Nationalist Congress Party -- are expected to be given the post of two deputies.


Sena MPs meet Amit Shah

Shiv Sena MPs on Wednesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, days after the BJP-led Mahayuti registered a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections.


Shiv Sena MPs led by Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav, Ravindra Waikar, Sandipan Bhumare, Shrirang Appa Barne, Milind Deora, Dhairyasheel Mane and former Lok Sabha member Rahul Shewale met Shah in Parliament.

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“I called PM Modi and Amit Shah yesterday and told them to decide (on who will be the CM post), and assured them that I will abide by whatever decision they take.”

Eknath Shinde, Chief, Shiv Sena


"I want to thank Shinde. He today made clear his stand on the chief minister's post. He has taken an important stand. I am proud of him.”

Chandrashekhar Bawankule, President, state BJP


"The BJP's central leadership pressured Shinde to give up his claim on the CM post. It is condemnable to keep Maharashtra waiting (in terms of government formation). It has been BJP's custom to suddenly bring a new face.”

Nana Patole, President, State Congress

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