Congress accuses government of 'lying' on savings from LPG

The Congress on Wednesday slammed the Narendra Modi government for "lying" on savings from the scheme for giving up LPG subsidy.

"The Modi government is used to making hollow promises, false statements and exaggerated claims," Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said. "Prime Minister Modi claimed that his policies were responsible for saving Rs 22,000 crore on the LPG subsidies. But the reality brought out by the Comptroller and Auditor General shows the savings amounted to Rs 2,000 crore," he added.

"The savings are also due to the global prices dropping by more than 50 per cent and India importing more LPG. Why is the Prime Minister lying? Why doesn't he just tell the truth?" Singhvi said.

According to reports, a CAG report to be tabled in parliament during the ongoing monsoon session has found that the savings from people voluntarily giving up LPG subsidy and direct bank transfers adds up to less than Rs 2,000 crore.

The remaining savings are actually due to the fall in the prices of LPG that India annually imports.

The Centre has claimed it would end up saving almost Rs 22,000 crore in the financial years of 2014-15 and 2015-16 from the schemes for Direct Benefit Transfer, which provides for transferring subsidy to the accounts of the user, and the 'Give It Up' scheme which urges the citizens above a certain income level to voluntarily give up subsidies on cooking gas.

--IANS

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