It refers to media-reports about LPG subsidy now to be credited only in bank-accounts having balance below rupees 3000 as a check towards subsidy not going to affording persons. But this is contradictory to government-step of encouraging people for savings made in bank-accounts. Any such decision will be like watering leaves rather than roots. Government-data reveals that even many Jan-Dhan accounts of poor people have sufficient deposits which may deprive them of LPG-subsidy in case the decision is implemented. Encouraging subsidy in itself a bad phenomenon and should be discouraged.
Those desiring and entitled for LPG subsidies, should rather been required file an affidavit towards total family-income rather than expecting ineligible persons for surrendering LPG subsidy voluntarily. Such affidavits should be filed annually rather than once because there are always possibilities of crossing income-limit fixed for getting LPG-subsidy. Those with annual family-income above rupees ten lakhs will thus lose subsidy because they will not be taking risk of filing wrong affidavits.
Net payable price including of all central and local taxes should be rounded in multiples of rupees ten or fifty, because delivery-persons never return balance-money. System will further reduce financial-burden on the exchequer because of LPG subsidy. At least LPG, if not petrol and diesel, can be brought under GST network for uniformity of prices throughout the country.
New-look translucent LPG cylinders made of fibre-glass ensuring tamperproof full-load supply of LPG gas per cylinders should replace old iron-cylinders with iron-cylinders discontinued to be manufactured in future.
SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL