News Broadcasting
BBC Magazines, Financial Times come out with publication
MUMBAI: BBC Magazines and Financial Times Business magazines in rhe UK have joined forces to create a personal finance magazine that can save each reader up to ?115,000 if they follow the expert advice inside.
How To Be Better Off combines the consumer affairs expertise of major BBC television, radio and internet brands with the financial acumen of FT Business and aims to provide guidance and information for those who are interested in personal financial management but find current sources of advice in the market daunting.
British television talent share their best-kept financial secrets with readers. Radio 4’s You and Yours presenter Liz Barclay demonstrates how you can pay off your mortgage in five years; BBC Two’s Bank of Mum and Dad financial adviser Lawrence Gold reveals how to get out of debt quickly; and BBC One’s To Buy Or Not To Buy presenter Melissa Porter shows how adding a room to your property can substantially increase its value.
There are also contributions from BBC Two’s Working Lunch anchorman Adrian Chiles, Radio 4’s Alvin Hall, Duncan Bannatyne, Peter Jones from The Dragon’s Den, Alan Sugar from the Apprentice and many more. How To Be Better Off also features a BBC TV and radio section focusing on the best financial and lifestyle advice programmes coming up in the autumn – as well as key financial dates to remember. There’s even a pull-out pension, budget and tax figures calculator section.
BBC Magazines publisher Brian Whittaker says: “How To Be Better Off will take up a unique position in the personal finance market. Intrinsically linked to BBC programming output, I know it will be welcomed by those crying out for straightforward and practical personal finance advice that’s easy to understand, easy to act upon and not time-consuming to follow.”
FT Business publishing director Mark Cunnington says, “How To Be Better Off’s mission to help readers better organise their financial affairs in order to improve their quality of life will change the face of the personal finance magazine market. The magazine’s practical, approachable and user-friendly style will encourage more people to take an interest in their finances and manage them more effectively. Combining this with two publishing companies renowned for trust, integrity and independence will create a successful formula.”
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
