Modi govt bows to poll pull; cuts LPG prices ahead of state elections -

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By Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi, August 29: In an apparent admission that the bloating kitchen bill is fast becoming an election issue, the Central government on Tuesday cut the LPG prices with Rs 200 across the country to bring relief to the people. The move has come amid the LPG prices becoming the top poll issue in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh where both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party are promising the cylinder at half the cost.

“In a move that will bring respite to households across the nation, the Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a substantial reduction in the price of cooking gas. Effective August 30, the price of a 14.2 Kg LPG cylinder will be reduced by Rs 200 in all markets across the country,” said the government in a media statement.

In Delhi for instance, the decision will bring down the cost of a 14.2 Kg cylinder from the existing Rs 1103 per cylinder to Rs 903 per cylinder. This across the board reduction is in addition to the existing targeted subsidy of Rs 200 per cylinder to PMUY households, which will continue. For PMUY households therefore, the effective price in Delhi after this reduction will be Rs 703 per cylinder.

It may be noted that there are more than 31 Cr domestic LPG consumers in the country including 9.6 Cr PMUY beneficiary families and this reduction will help all LPG consumers in the country. To clear pending PMUY applications and to provide deposit free LPG connection to all eligible households, Government will shortly start distribution of PMUY connections to 75 lacs women from poor households who do not have an LPG connection. This will increase the total number of beneficiaries under PMUY from 9.6 cr to 10.35 cr.

“These decisions come as part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to ease the financial burden on citizens and promote the welfare of households. The reduction in cooking gas prices reflects the Government’s commitment to prioritize the well-being of its citizens and ensure access to essential commodities at reasonable rates,” added the government in the statement.

Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, was quoted by the statement saying that “we understand the challenges faced by households in managing their budgets. The reduction in cooking gas prices is aimed at providing direct relief to families and individuals, while also supporting Government’s larger goal of ensuring affordable access to essential items”.

The reduction in cooking gas prices is expected to have a positive impact on the cost of living for a wide spectrum of society, said the government in the statement, adding “government’s proactive step is projected to save significant expenses for households, making an appreciable contribution to the disposable income of citizens”.