New Delhi: The central government announced Tuesday that the price of domestic cooking gas would be slashed by Rs 200 for every 14-kilogram LPG cylinder.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur said the price of LPG or liquified petroleum gas would be cut for all consumers on the occasion of Onam and rakshabandhan.
He also said the government had decided to add 75 lakh LPG connections for free under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. There are 9.6 crore beneficiaries of the scheme at present.
“The first cylinder, burner and pipe will all be free… When we came to power in 2014, there were 14.5 crore gas connections. Today, that figure is 33 crore,” the minister said.
At present, a domestic LPG cylinder costs Rs 1,053 in Delhi, Rs 1,052.50 in Mumbai, Rs 1,068.50 in Chennai and Rs 1,079 in Kolkata. The prices were increased by Rs 50 in March.
The move by the government, under intense scrutiny over inflation and high food prices, will impact about 10 crore low-income families.
As the BJP-led government moves into election mode – polls in five states ahead of the 2024 general elections – the government is looking to spend an additional Rs 4,000 crore for the enhanced cooking gas subsidy, in addition to the Rs 7,600 crore it has budgeted in the current fiscal.
Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in a statement, “”The reduction in prices is aimed at providing direct relief to families and individuals, while also supporting the government’s larger goal of ensuring affordable access to essential items.”
The cut will also double the subsidy support to Rs 400 per domestic cylinder for those under the Ujjwala scheme.
India imports about 60% of its liquefied petroleum gas requirement, and Minister Anurag Thakur said LPG prices globally have surged 303% since April 2020.
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