After clamouring for marked decrease in power tariff for consumers in Mumbai on the lines of reduction by the AAP Government in Delhi, Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam has now rooted for an increase in the supply of subsidised cooking gas cylinders from the current nine to 12 for consumers based in the metropolis.
In a letter written to Petroleum and Natural Minister Veerappa Moily on Tuesday, Nirupam stated: “ …. there are conflicting report from the Government sources as to whether or not the Government will enhance the quota for subsidised cooking gas cylinders further from 9 to 12. It is my considered demand that the Ministry should take concrete steps to provide much needed relief to lakhs of households belonging to lower income groups and immediately increase the number of subsidised lPG cylinders to 12 per household”.
Nirupam’s letter to Moily came within days after he created a stir within ruling Democratic Front (DF) circles, by asking the Prithviraj Chavan Government to follow the suit of the new AAP Government in Delhi and reduce substantially power tariff of all such consumers in Mumbai whose consumption was less than 500 units a month.
In a letter written to Chavan, Nirupam also urged the State Government to order an audit of the cost structure and pricing mechanism adopted by power distribution companies in Mumbai.
Nirupam, who has also written to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on the need for power subsidy for the middle-class and slum dwellers, has announced that he would take out a morcha to the Reliance-Infra’s office at Kandivli on January 13, to demand reduction in power tariff.
Meanwhile, another city Congress MP Priya Dutt has thrown his weight behind Nirupam and announced that she and her supporters would join the protest rally planned by the latter on January 13.
“This is not for the time that we have taken up the issue of power consumers. Three years ago, we had organised a similar rally and forced the Reliance Energy to bring down the tariff. Once again there is serious concern among the people about the sudden increase in power tariff and complaints about faulty meters and inflated power bills. These are the issues we will be taking up with R-Infra people as part of the morcha where Nirupam will also be there,” Dutt said.