Sale of 5-kg LPG cylinders at petrol pumps at market price is anti-poor

·         Sale of 5-kg LPG cylinders at petrol pumps at market price  is anti-poor

·         Another “Fake Promise” by Delhi Govt,  BPL families  yet to get 3 additional LPG cylinders

·         Congress Govt. making Delhi unaffordable for the poor:Goel

The Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today termed the Congress led-UPA government’s decision to provide 5 KG LPG cylinders at petrol pumps as half-baked and anti-people decision. This is yet another decision which would make living in Delhi unaffordable for the poor. The party also slammed the Congress government for making yet another ”fake” promise of providing three subsidised LPG cylinders every year to the below poverty households  at  subsidized rate.

In a statement issued today, the Delhi BJP president Shri Vijay Goel said, “It is ironical that even though the 5 KG LPG cylinder is generally used by the poor people but being made available at the market price which is out of reach for the common people. It would have been better had the government provided subsidized LPG cylinder at petrol pumps.”

Also, these cylinders will be available at on 3% of the 47000 petrol pumps all over the country. That simply implies that in Delhi these cylinders would be rarely available.   And wherever they are available they would be out of reach of the poor people as they are being sold at the market price.

Shri Goel said, “In fact, the poor are not getting three subsidized LPG cylinders which were promised with much fanfare by Delhi government. They have to buy LPG cylinders at market price which has completely upset their household budgets.” The Delhi government had announced in January this year that it would provide three additional LPG cylinders to the BPL families every week. But the promise is yet to materialise.

“With prices of vegetables, foodgrains, edible oil and all other basic items soaring high, a large number of lower middle incomes families are being pushed below poverty line in Delhi. What is making situation worst is that the Delhi government is not issuing ration cards to the common people in the city. The result is that there is no cushion available to them.”

“Ironically, those who have been issued ration cards are also suffering due to an inefficient and corrupt PDS in the city. Delhi PDS is one of the most corrupt PDS in the country and the most inefficient too. The fact is that the Food Security Scheme has already fallen flat on its face even before it started functioning despite launched with much fanfare.”

The Delhi BJP, when it comes to power, will ensure that those living in slums and the BPL families must get not only ration cards but are able to avail of the entitlements due to them. “Merely announcing entitlements won’t do as the Congress government has been doing,“ said Shri Goel.