Cabinet approves subsidised LPG cylinder cap after Rahul's demand?

New Delhi, Jan 30: After

Vice President

called for an increase in the number of subsidised LPG cylinder on January 17, the Union Cabinet fulfilled his demand within 13 days.

The Cabinet on Thursday approved the raising of subsidised LPG cylinder cap from 9 to 12 per connection. Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Veerappa Moily said the annual subsidy burden as a result of increasing the number of subsidised LPG cylinders will be about Rs 80,000 crore.

He said that 99.2 per cent consumers are covered under the scheme and the subsidy burden will increase by Rs 5000 crore. "The Cabinet today decided to increase the subsidised cylinders to 12, starting from February 1. This would be one cylinder every month on subsidised rates," said Moily.

Rahul had on January 17 at an All India Congress Committee meet urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to increase the cap to 12 as the people were finding it tough to manage with only 9 cylinders.

"I appeal to the Prime Minister to raise the bar of LPG usage from 9 cylinders to 12 cylinders," Rahul had said while addressing the AICC meet. The irony is that the decision to decrease the cap was taken on the same day in 2011 when Rahul made his demand, i.e. January 17, 2013. This demand is yet another gift in Rahul kitty after he voiced against ordinance against legislators and Adarsh scam amongst others.

OneIndia News