CM demands withdrawal of decision to eliminate LPG subsidy

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Monday demanded that the Union government withdraw its decision to eliminate the LPG subsidy from March next year, saying it was a matter of concern.

The decision would only cause difficulties to the common man as their day to day expenses will steadily go up. Hence, government should be prepared to withdraw the decision, he said in a release.

The Chief Minister said that since July 2016, LPG prices had been increased at least 10 times.

This month itself, at a single stroke, the LPG cylinder price had gone up by Rs 32, he said. An LPG cyclinder priced at Rs 420 last June, was now Rs 480, he said.

Now to add to peoples woes, the subsidy was being withdrawn, he said. The government has ordered state-run oil companies to raise subsidised cooking gas (LPG) prices by Rs four per cylinder every month to eliminate all subsidies by March next year.