The Opposition created an uproar in the lok Sabha on Friday following a claim by the Government that six subsidised lPG cylinders per year was sufficient for a normal family.
The Government had recently increased the number of subsidised lPG cylinders per family from six to nine and a BJP MP on Friday demanded that this number be increased up to 12.
“About 90 per cent population is using nine cylinders. Based on the survey, normally six cylinders are enough per family. I am telling this based on the survey,” Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Panabaka lakshmi said in the lok Sabha during Question Hour. She was replying to a query from Danve Raosaheb Patil, the BJP MP from Jalna in Maharashtra.
UPA constituents NCP and DMK too joined the Opposition for increasing number of subsidised lPG cylinders.
Gorakhnath Pandey (BSP) remarked that perhaps the Government had not consulted its women members while finalising the subsidy on cooking gas. lakshmi said ever since a cap on subsidised lPG cylinders was introduced, domestic consumption has reduced by 5.4 per cent and commercial consumption has increased by 12.5 per cent.
“Oil Marketing Companies undertake regular surprise inspections at distributor’s premises, conduct refill audits and surprise checks at customer’s premises and en-route checking of delivery vehicles,” she said.