Non-deserving consumers hijack LPG subsidy
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 29 2015: Whereas thousands of families have no access to cooking gas, vast majority of the LPG consumers seem to have no clear idea about the targeted sections for whom subsidy is given on domestic LPG refills.

Basically, subsidy is given on LPG refills for poorer sections of the society.

Millions of the country's poor have been reeling under abject poverty and want of essential commodities.

LPG cooking gas still remains an unaffordable luxury to several lakhs of families.

Many of them have been using firewood for cooking their meals everyday.

Apart from wasting time in searching and gathering firewood, cooking meals with firewood poses health hazards and serious threats to environment.

It was with a view to enable poor families switch to much cleaner LPG cooking gas from firewood or charcoal that the Government has been giving subsidy to LPG refills.

At the same time, a campaign has been going on to dissuade financially sound families from enjoying subsidy on LPG refills.

In total contradiction to the campaign being spearheaded by none other than the Prime Minister, many people who have daily income of several thousands, bureaucrats, contractors, MLAs and even Ministers have been enjoying LPG subsidy in Manipur.

The market price of LPG refill in Manipur is just around Rs 683 and the subsidy given on it is Rs 220.It remains a big question why those financially sound families have been craving after the subsidy of just Rs 220 .

Before KYC and DBTL regulations came into force, Ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats used ten, 20 or even 30 LPG refills from distributors by just writing notes on their official letterheads.

Now they are taking subsidized LPG refills after applying for LPG connections, some distributors told The Sangai Express.

There are still thousands of families in Manipur who cannot afford LPG connections.

Rather than taking up any measures so as to enable the poor families have LPG connection, they themselves have been enjoying the LPG subsidy of Rs 220 .

The amount charged by LPG distributors is another factor which has been discouraging poor families from applying for LPG connection.

According to one official of the IOC's Divisional Retail Sales Office, Imphal, some bureaucrats have offered not to enjoy any subsidy on LPG refills any more and they have surrendered their connections.

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