'Ye Hai INDIA Ka Dam': Mamata Banerjee On Reduction Of LPG Prices Ahead Of Polls

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today hinted that the ruling NDA government at the Centre was forced to cut the prices of domestic cooking gas due to the fear of the INDIA bloc alliance. In a tweet made shortly after the Centre announced LPG price cut, Banerjee said that while INDIA block held only two meetings so far, domestic gas prices have done down by Rs 200.

"Till now, only TWO meetings have been held in the past TWO months by the INDIA alliance and today, we see that LPG prices have gone down by Rs. 200. Ye hai #INDIA ka dam!" she tweeted.

Till now, only TWO meetings have been held in the past TWO months by the INDIA alliance and today, we see that LPG prices have gone down by Rs. 200.

ये है #INDIA का दम! — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 29, 2023

Five states - Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Mizoral will go to polls by the end of this year while the Lok Sabha Elections will be held in May 2024. The LPG prices have been a crucial poll plank of Congress and opposition parties. The domestic LPG prices have been hovering around Rs 1,100 for quite some times and now with the Rs 200 reduction, each LPG cylinder will cost Rs 900 to users other than those covered under Ujjwala scheme. Congress-ruled states like Karnataka, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have already been providing LPG cylinders at Rs 500 to those falling under poverty lines. 

Providing respite to domestic gas consumers, the Union Cabinet announced a reduction of Rs 200 in the prices of LPG domestic gas cylinders for all users. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur briefed the media about this decision, attributing it as a gesture from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the women of the nation, coinciding with the occasions of Onam and Raksha Bandhan.

Minister Thakur conveyed, "Prime Minister Modi has taken the step of reducing the cost of domestic LPG cylinders by Rs 200, applicable to all users. This move is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's gift to the women of our country, presented during the celebration of Raksha Bandhan." The Cabinet meeting was presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Thakur also highlighted that the central government has additionally sanctioned the inclusion of 75 lakh more beneficiaries under the Ujjwala gas scheme. At present, the scheme benefits 9.6 crore individuals. Notably, India imports 60 percent of its natural gas to fulfill its requirements.

The minister further underscored that the present government has launched several initiatives for women's development, encompassing initiatives such as durable housing, sanitation facilities, supplementary food provisions, and Direct Benefit Transfers, particularly during the challenges posed by the Covid pandemic.