Bahuguna wants 12 subsidised LPG cylinders for hill states

Amid growing opposition of the cap on subsidised liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna on Sunday said he would launch efforts to increase the cap to 12 cylinders a year for hill states like Uttarakhand, instead of nine.

“Hill states must get at least 12 subsidised cylinders though we are promising nine in the Congress-ruled states. This will also help in reducing pressure on our forests,” Bahuguna said here. The ruling Congress is facing opposition from various quarters in the state on the government’s decision to put a cap on the subsidised cylinders. Bahuguna is worried that the cap on the cylinders could affect the fortunes of his son Saket in the October 10 Tehri Lok Sabha by-election against the Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate Mala Raj Laxmi Shah.

The chief minister said he would soon meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue.

Though Congress-ruled states have promised to bear the subsidy burden of three subsidised cylinders in addition to the cap of six, the chief minister said he feels that the Centre should now bear the subsidy burden in 9 cylinders and for the remaining three, the state government should chip in.