Bid to remove LPG subsidy worries Kochiites

KOCHI: The suggestion by a Lok Sabha panel to stop subsidies for the higher income group, as part of doing away with the subsidies has been opposed by Kochiites from all quarters. The parliament committee has also suggested stopping of subsidy for elected representatives. The move is part of a plan to withdraw the entire subsidy on petroleum products.The matter would not end by withdrawing subsidy for those with more than `6 lakh  annual income, said P K Gopalakrishnan, former secretary of Ernakulam District Residents Associations’ Apex Council (EDRAAC) and member  of Senior Citizens Welfare Association.The LPG is widely used in Kerala and any increase in its price will hit the public badly, Viju Choolackal, General Secretary, Karithala Poura Samithi said. The people in North India mainly use kerosene for cooking purposes. Hence, it may not affect them much. The government has all the powers to discriminate society according to their  income. Mathew Paul, General Secretary, All Kerala Railway Passengers Association said that there was nothing wrong with the government removing subsidy for the higher income group.According to the report of the standing committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas, “The government is empowered through the constitution to make reasonable classification of the society. However, the government will not stop just by removing the subsidy for the higher income group. The main intention is to withdraw the subsidy altogether, he said.A 14.2 kg LPG cylinder in Delhi currently costs `395.35. This is `247 short of its market price. If the panel recommendation to deny subsidised product to higher income group is accepted, they will have to pay `642.35 per bottle. This should include those holding constitutional posts, public representatives like MPs, MLAs/MLCs.”  The suggestion was made in view of the huge subsidy bill the government has to foot while selling fuel at below market price. It noted that the government is considering a proposal to limit supply of subsidised domestic LPG cylinders to yearly four per household.