Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of the reduction of LPG cylinder prices by Rs 100, the Opposition has criticized the BJP government, referring to it as another ‘jumla’ by the central government.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule, in an interview with ANI on Friday, stated that the decision to slash LPG cylinder prices by Rs 100 is a ‘political’ move prompted by ‘compulsion’ ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
“I am not at all surprised. Look at the timing. They have been in power for the past 9 years. Why didn’t they consider this earlier? Just when the elections, I mean it will probably be announced in the next 5 or 6 days, ‘yeh aur ek jumla hai’… It’s all political, not from the heart at all,” she remarked.
She also questioned, “In our government, the cylinder price was Rs 430. Why can’t they match that?”
Congress MP Manickam Tagore also criticized the government, labeling the move as a ‘jumla’. In a post on X, Tagore said, “On #WomensDay, Modi’s Jumla: LPG price slashed by Rs. 100! Now it’s Rs. 823… Just a little flashback: In 2014, Dr Singh (Manmohan Singh) gave a subsidy of Rs 600 and the price was Rs 641.
Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the reduction of LPG cylinder prices by Rs 100 on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
“This will significantly reduce the financial burden on millions of households across the country, especially benefiting our Nari Shakti. By making cooking gas more affordable, we aim to support the well-being of families and ensure a healthier environment. This is in line with our commitment to empowering women and ensuring ‘Ease of Living’ for them,” the Prime Minister wrote on social media platform X.
Last year in October, the government increased the subsidy from Rs 200 per 14.2-kg cylinder for up to 12 refills per year to Rs 300 per cylinder. The Rs 300 per cylinder subsidy was for the current fiscal year, ending on March 31.
The announcement also comes following the approval by the Centre of an extension of targeted cooking gas subsidy of Rs 300 per 14.2-kg cylinder to the beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) for another year until the end of 2024-25. The LPG subsidy will be provided for up to 12 refills per year.