top of page

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.

Welfare of Ex-Servicemen

Updated: Nov 15, 2024

Welfare of Ex-Servicemen

The various issues of Ex-servicemen have been overlooked not only by the centre but even different state governments. The contentious issue of One Rank One Pension (OROP) was subsided after the Supreme Court’s intervention. The delay in paperwork had left thousands of ex-servicemen in limbo. Their woes are not only restricted to the pension but they have to cross a lot of hurdles for getting the jobs. Technically qualified, the men have retired from the armed forces, and are eligible for jobs in State government offices. But though they have cleared the various examinations including public service commission exams, they have not been offered placements. The reason, different departments have not found the time to iron out the issue regarding their qualifications.


As the issue of ex-servicemen keeps on coming to the fore, the state government has taken a decision to give some relief to their children. Education Concession to the Children of Ex-Servicemen, Maharashtra 2023-24 is an initiative of the state government’s Directorate of Higher Education, to provide financial aid to children of ex-servicemen pursuing higher education. The selected students will receive a 100 percent waiver of fees incurred on admission, semester exams, and library including the laboratory fees. The Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has approved a significant increase in funding for ex-servicemen welfare schemes, doubling the financial allocation to Rs33 crore to support nearly 2.7 lakh retired military personnel and their families across the state.


While taking this decision certain conditions have been laid down by the government. One of the prime conditions is that the applicants must be domiciled in Maharashtra. Among other conditions, the definition of relationship is described, the applicant must be a child, wife, or widow of an ex-serviceman. Applicants should be enrolled in a government or government-aided college within Maharashtra. As per the government’s order, the financial Support by the state is being underscored. The scholarship provides a significant financial relief by waiving all associated fees. With this the doors are open for higher education to all deserving students who may otherwise face financial barriers. Being awarded this scholarship is a recognition of academic merit and the sacrifices made by ex-servicemen and their families gets the recognition.


Apart from this the Maharashtra government has also decided that it will provide financial assistance of Rs 15 lakh to self-help groups (SHGs) run by ex-servicemen. The state government official said that this decision was taken in the recent meeting of the Ex-Servicemen Welfare Board.


“Financial assistance for marriage of daughters of ex-servicemen has been increased from Rs 20,000 to Rs 1 lakh. Assistance up to Rs 2 lakh will be given to ex-servicemen, their widows for purchasing houses. Children of ex-servicemen or their widows Will be given Rs 1 lakh for education abroad,’’ the official further added.

Comments

bottom of page