Kerala to subsidise three LPG cylinders

Chief minister Oommen Chandy said the subsidised rate would be strictly restricted to one connection, one family

The Kerala Cabinet has decided to distribute three subsidised LPG cylinders in addition to the six provided by the central government. The government would distribute this to all families irrespective of APL or BPL categories.

Earlier, the government had extended the facility only to the BPL families and this had created widespread protest among the middle-class as the rate of LPG consumption is the highest in Kerala, compared with other southern states.

A high-powered committee of the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) has also recommended to extend this benefit to all the families.

With this, the additional financial commitment would rise to more than Rs 120 crore in a year.

 

Chief minister Oommen Chandy on Thursday said the subsidised rate would be strictly restricted to one connection, one family. In case of a dispute over the connection, electricity connection would be treated as the condition to avail of the benefit. Here, subsidised LPG cylinders would be given for each electric connection in a house/flat, he said.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet also accepted a report by Keltron regarding the protection of Sree Padmanabha Swami temple at Thiruvananthapuram. The project will incur a cost of Rs 23.60 crore and administrative sanction has been granted for the first phase amounting to Rs 9.80 crore.