Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has exhorted the affluent class to be more liberal in giving up their lPG subsidy as a study draws a grim picture of their contribution towards the scheme. “We did a sample study (taking one lakh sample size) of those giving up lPG subsidy. Only three per cent of people who gave up their subsidy, were earning more than Rs 10 lakh,” Pradhan said addressing TalentNomics-ICRIER Conference on Empowering Women for Sustainable Development.
“The Country has limited budget. We have to target it. Whom do we give subsidyIJ Should the affluent section of society take away the subsidyIJ Or poor women should get this subsidy. This is also related to sustainable development and empowerment of women,” he added. There have been strict instructions that those earning more than Rs 10 lakh a year, should give up lPG subsidy. But it is more of middle and lower middle class people like retired teachers or employees who are doing so, he said.
The minister said more than 8.5 million people have voluntarily given up their subsidy so far. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged people to give up lPG subsidy so that it could be allotted to poor deserving family. The Oil Ministry took this initiative under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana to connect 50 million below poverty line people with the lPG supplies over next three years.