On Wednesday, October 4, 2023, the center shared a big announcement that the Union cabinet increased the subsidy on cooking gas cylinders. Yes, you heard it right, the beneficiaries will get more subsidy on cylinder prices which means aimed women of PM Ujjwala Yojna will have to pay less than they pay now. This major development came ahead of state elections. Therefore, the opposition surrounded the central government to lure the voters. Is it right or wrong? Whatever is your opinion about the central government’s decision to offer more subsidies on cooking cylinders, share it in the comment section. Keep reading this article and go through it till the end. Drag down the page.
Government Increases Subsidy On Cooking Gas Cylinder
After this development, it is expected that a total of 103.5 million beneficiaries will receive susbsidy over the next three years. As per the reports, the government also approved the expansion of the PM Ujjwala Yojna scheme to 7.5 million women. Prior to the expansion of PM Ujjwala Yojna scheme the subsidy was being given to about 96 million low-income families. A question must be swiveling in your mind that how much subsidy was increased by the governement. If yes, stick with this page and go through it till the end.
According to the reports, the Union cabinet raised cooking gas subsidy by Rs 100 that means household will have to pay Rs 100 less than they are paying now for a cooking gas cylinder. Earlier he central government was offering a susbsidy of Rs 200 per gas cylinder which has now been increased to Rs 300. As mentioned, the number of beneficiaries of PM Ujjwala Yojna scheme also have been expanded by 7.5 million. However, the offering of higher subsidy on cooking gas cylinders came barely a month before the assembly elections in 5 states and next year’s Lok Sabha polls.
The minister of information and broadcasting, sports, and youth affairs, Anurag Thakur who briefed media on cabinet decisions of increasing cooking gas subsidy, did not specify the impact of the decision on the government’s finances. He added, “When we talk about the welfare of the poor, the government is not concerned with the financial burden on the (exchequer) but only on helping the poor.” Over the years, the central government revamped the petroleum subsidy system including LPG is the only fuel on which susbsidy is offered. The Union cabinet budgeted only Rs 2,257 crore for LPG subsidy in 2023-24, which is sure to increase with the expanded coverage of the PM Ujjwala Yojna and the higher subsidy payments.