News Broadcasting
CAS comes at a price – let not government decide what that price is
Theres a lot of wishful thinking going on in government. That it can and should control pricing. That too, in a country which is moving from a shackled economy to a free one. That too, in a nation in which structures choked and weighed under by government control are being dismantled and slowly being handed out to private organisations to run. That too, in a nation in which price subsidies in almost every sector are being removed. And the sad part is that even the Prime Minister’s name is being dragged into it. Continuously.
The issue we are referring to is the migration of the cable TV industry towards conditional access systems. The government has been driving it all along because the fractured, fragmented, rift-ridden cable and satellite TV industry has at first been playing the ostrich with its head buried in the sand, not in the least worried about getting order into its working. And later it has been playing the tortoise, loathe and slow to follow the governments whip which was being cracked in the shape of the CAS amendment.
The government mandating CAS is something we can stomach, because authorities in some nations have done so. India boasts of being the largest democracy. The US is the second largest. However, in the US CAS was not mandated. It evolved over time, with HBO being the first pay TV service. The industry and consumers drove it, not government.
We will accept the governments avowed honest intentions of having the consumers interest in mind for shoving CAS down everyones throats. That is a lower monthly cable TV tab for viewers.
But logic states that unless a free market situation is established with competitive forces coming into play, prices never come down. They always go up.
Even the US Federal Communications Commission is kept busy on this account. Like a vigilante, it keeps a hawks eye on anyone spiking rates, swooping down on any errant player once a cry of excess is heard. The propensity to cartelise and hike rates is there even in a competitive market like the US. Expect nothing different from monopolistic and opportunistic cable TV operators, MSOs and broadcasters in India.
The rate card proposed by broadcasters two days ago hence comes as no surprise. The MSOs are raising Cain and are asking the government to intervene by putting a ceiling on rates. And information & broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has been like a CAS evangelist, preaching everytime that pay TV channel prices have to be consumer friendly. Who is to decide what is consumer friendly? Should it be consumers or consumer organizations with vested interests? Or should it be left to market forces? Does the government decide what the cover price of The Times of India or a Mid-Day should be on a weekday or on a Sunday? If it decides on pay TV channel rates, then it should do the same for even the price tags on shirts, pants, chocolates, and what have you.
The government should understand that if cable TV rates are pegged too high only those who can afford the sticker prices will subscribe to the service. Others will not. Those who find the cost too steep and cannot do without their daily TV fix will in all likelihood raise a hue and cry. And if there are enough numbers of these to justify rate cuts, theres no doubt that the cable TV operators and broadcasters will wilt under the viewer pressure. Remember, pay TV and CAS has to be made viable as a business model.
What indiantelevision.com is trying to say is that let pricing be left to market forces, let not the government decide the cost to consumers. There is going to be pressure from all sides, especially the cable TV trade, and other vested parties. Stand firm. You have drawn the route map. Now work with the industry and trade towards its successful implementation.
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.
