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Delhi cable ops vow to enforce CAS from 15 Dec.
NEW DELHI: Conditional access system, like Banquo’s ghost, just refuses to go away. Just when everybody, including the government, thought it has been given a quiet burial, the issue has resurfaced with the cable industry, at least in Delhi, in a militant mood.
In a meeting of the mutli-system operators (MSOs) and some independent cable operators here today to discuss the future course of action, it was “unanimously decided” that from 14 December midnight all pay channels would be routed through set-top boxes (STBs). This was disclosed by a representatives of an MSO after the 120-minute conclave.
Buoyed by the Delhi High Court order that quashed denotification of the capital from the CAS rollout map, the cable industry is also thinking on the lines that it should factor in the retaining cost of inventory when boxes start to be sold again in the Capital.
Pointing out that the MSOs incurred some cost in holding on to the inventory (STBs) for a few months, Zee Telefilms vice-chairman and head of Siti Cable, Jawahar Goel, today told indiantelevision.com, “The boxes are now likely to cost approximately Rs 4,000 to a consumer.”
This would include the activation cost, plus other sundry expenses incurred by the cable operators like paying eight per cent service tax to the government.
Today’s meeting, held at Essel House (headquarters of Siti Cable in Delhi), was attended by representatives of MSOs like INCableNet, Hathway Datacom, Siti Cable and some independent operators.
The strategy being followed by the cable operators in the south zone of Delhi is to start educating the cable subscribers about CAS and the need for boxes, before the cable industry starts routing all pay channels through boxes from midnight of 14 December.
“Though we would not be advertising in newspapers, but scrolls and CAS-related information would start airing on the local cable operators’ video channels,” Cable Networks Association’s Rakesh Dutta said.
Dutta, along with Siti Cable and two other individuals, had filed a case against the government on denotifying Delhi.
According to Dutta, “We don’t need the government’s mediation any more as CAS in Delhi would decide whether we are really under-declaring our base or the pay channels are over-charging for their services.”
Roop Sharma, a non-cable operator person running a cable organisation (Cable Operators’ Federation of India), feels that nobody can stop CAS from becoming reality. (Though, it’d be interesting to know what transpired when Sharma bumped into senior Star India executives at a History Channel party last evening and, reportedly, discussed CAS.)
Still, some issues need to be ironed out.
Not everybody in Delhi’s south zone may end up getting a digital set-top box, if at all they opted for it. Dutta says that independent cable operators like him cannot afford digital boxes and would go for analog STBs, leaving them open to charges that such boxes can be hacked into.
Then comes the issue of prices of pay channels. The MSOs and broadcasters have not yet started negotiations for Delhi. Even today, Siti Cable’s Goel pointed out that it has not yet been finalised at what prices pay channels would be offered to cable subscribers in South Delhi area.
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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.
