News Broadcasting
Contractual employees of DD News to observe Black Friday
NEW DELHI: The contractual employees of Doordarshan News who have been protesting peacefully by wearing black bands for a salary hike and better working conditions are to observe 5 August as Black Friday.
These employees have been protesting since yesterday by wearing black badges on their arms and will wear black clothes to show solidarity. Almost the entire staff including the packaging, camera section, editors, assignment, anchors, and reporters is part of this peaceful protest.
A senior anchor who did not want to be named said: “The UPA claims to be concerned about the welfare of the common man but we who have been working under this same government have not had a salary hike in the last 3 years. Inflation has risen drastically in this period and monthly expenditure has gone up at least twofold. Some of us have been working here for just Rs 10,000 for the last there years and every month we are given an assurance of a hike but nothing has happened yet”.
Currently, there are close to 350 employees with DD News. None of them are part of any social welfare scheme like medical/life insurance. They do not have the benefit of a Public Provident Fund. Even women employees are not given maternity benefits/leave and their salary is cut when they are on leave for delivery. Contractual employees are also not entitled to any national holidays.
These employees had observed a snap strike at prime time for a few hours earlier this year. Following that, the DD News administration had sent a recommendation to the Prasar Bharati Board for increase in wages. However, no decision has yet been taken, because a Prasar Bharati board member told indiantelevision.com that the attempt was to collate details of contractual employees in all DD channels before taking a decision.
DD News was launched in 2003 and is currently the only bi-lingual 24 hour TV channel on air. The anchor said several questions have been raised from time to time about the quality of news content on the channel, but this exploitation of employees is never put in the public domain. The protest is an effort to awaken the administration to their plight and take concrete steps to improve their quality of life.
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.
