Govt considering raising cap on subsidized LPG cylinders
Decision will be taken in the next few days, petroleum minister Veerappa Moily says in the Lok Sabha
New Delhi: The government is considering raising cap on supply of subsidized LPG cylinders and a decision will be taken in the “next few days", petroleum and natural gas minister M. Veerappa Moily said in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
“We are considering it (giving more than six subsidized cylinders) and need a few days’ time," he said during the question hour.
“We are applying our mind on this issue," he said after opposition members cornered the government on the LPG cap and demanded that the decision be rolled back as it affected the common man who is already burdened by price rise.
Moily said he will discuss with the finance minister and the prime minister as to what the government could do.
His response came on a supplementary raised by Leader of the opposition Sushma Swaraj who said this was for the first time that a government has rationed LPG cylinders to only six per family per year. Families which need more than six cylinders will have to shell out ₹ 900 per cylinder, he said.
“This is such an inappropriate decision. The government has taken this decision even as prices are skyrocketing. Will you take back this decision and stop rationing cylinders?" she asked.
Moily said over ₹ 1.64 trillion subsidy is being paid by the government at present. “We do not have a surplus of LPG. Almost 75% of the world’s LPG is consumed by India. In other countries both electricity and gas is used," he said.
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