With reference to the report by Jyoti Mukul and Sudheer Pal Singh, "Govt mines tax data to prune LPG subsidy list" (March 22), the move to enforce the surrender of LPG subsidy availed of by the affluent class should be condemned. After requesting citizens to voluntarily give up the subsidy, the government is planning to compulsorily exclude all those households where the combined annual income in the last year was above Rs 10 lakh.
Before taking this step the government should clarify whether all politicians, including members of legislative Assemblies and Parliament, have given up their subsidy or would so. Even if they have surrendered their subsidies, it doesn't matter because the cost of fuel would still be borne by the exchequer.
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I was ready to give up my subsidy if the government or the oil company concerned could guarantee that the refills would be delivered on demand. It is annoying to wait for refills after the LPG cylinders have been booked. If the subsidy is given up, the cost of each cylinder would be equal to the price charged by private operators, who would ensure that refills are given to the consumer on demand.
The government has said that its move to mine tax data for identifying people with annual incomes above Rs 10 lakh will apply for the last financial year only. Last year, bank employees and central government officials received arrears on account of revision in their salaries, which were included in the income for the year. This means most of them would be excluded from the subsidy. That is unfair. The government should include the returns of at least the last three years or exclude the year in which abnormal income was reported. I request the prime minister and the finance minister to consider this suggestion.
B C Unnikrishnan Nair Alappuzha
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