Muslim community is not anyone’s property; I belong to all: Khader gives it back to upset Sait

New Delhi, Feb 12: Cooking gas LPG price on Wednesday was hiked by a steep Rs 144.5 per cylinder due to spurt in benchmark global rates of the fuel.

But to insulate domestic users, the government almost doubled the subsidy it provides on the fuel to keep per cylinder outgo almost unchanged.

LPG price was increased to Rs 858.50 per 14.2 kg cylinder from Rs 714 previously, according to a price notification of state-owned oil firms.

This is the steepest hike in rates since January 2014 when prices had gone up by Rs 220 per cylinder to Rs 1,241.

Domestic LPG users, who are entitled to buy 12 bottles of 14.2-kg each at subsidised rates in a year, will get more subsidy.

The government subsidy payout to domestic users has been increased from Rs 153.86 per cylinder to Rs 291.48, industry officials said.

For Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) beneficiaries, the subsidy has increased from Rs 174.86 to Rs 312.48 per cylinder.

After accounting for the subsidy that is paid directly into the bank accounts of LPG users, a 14.2-kg cylinder would cost Rs 567.02 for domestic users and Rs 546.02 for PMUY users.

The government gave out 8 crore free LPG connections to poor women under PMUY to increase coverage of environment-friendly fuel in kitchens.

Normally, LPG rates are revised on 1st of every month but this time it took almost two weeks for the revision to take place - a phenomenon which industry officials said was due to approvals needed for such a big jump in subsidy outgo.

Others said the decision to defer the increase could have been because of assembly elections in Delhi. Delhi voted on February 8.

Bengaluru, Jun 9: Two grassroots level workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday filed their nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections from Karnataka, Chief Minister and senior BJP leader BS Yediyurappa said.

"Eranna Kadadi and Ashok Gasti have filed nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections from Karnataka. It is only in BJP that grassroots level workers are given recognition," Yediyurappa told reporters here.

The elections to fill the vacant 18 Rajya Sabha seats from seven states are scheduled to be held on June 19. Elections to four Rajya Sabha seats will be held in Karnataka.

"The core committee of the party had recommended a few names. Afterwards, the party's all-India president consulted with me. Finally, these two names were finalised," Yediyurappa said.

The nominations will be scrutinised on Wednesday and the last date for withdrawal of nomination is June 12.

Notably, the Janata Dal (Secular) on Monday announced that party supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda has decided to contest the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

Bengaluru, Feb 4: Congress MLA UT Khader on Tuesday alleged that B.S. Yediyurappa-led government has stopped providing free food to poor families under 'Anna Bhagya' scheme from last two months which was started by the Congress in the state.

"Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had started a scheme 'Anna Bhagya' under which free rice and wheat to 494 education institutions, NGOs, and old age homes were provided and the present government has stopped providing benefits to the poor people," said the MLA.

Alleging that the present government has stopped with the scheme Khadar said, "From last two months the government has stopped providing free food to the institutes and NGOs."

Khadar further demanded to restart the scheme to help the poor students.

"They should restart the scheme which supports poor students and old age houses, or congress will protest if the scheme is not restarted."

Last year in August, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had said that his government has no plans to stop any "pro-people schemes" including Anna Bhagya.

"Our government has no plans to scrap any of the pro-people schemes. Our Government is a pro-people Government. I have already signed the file to release grants to continue the "Anna Bhagya scheme" the twitter handle of Karnataka Chief Minister's Office had quoted him as saying.