LPG price hike: Mamata Banerjee says providing subsidies is 'social obligation' of the govt

Chopra: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday criticised the Centre for its decision to eliminate all subsidies for domestic LPG and said providing such financial support to the people is its social obligation. [caption id=“attachment_3811231” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Mamata Banerjee. AFP[/caption] Banerjee said the poor class will be the worst affected by the action. “This decision on stopping subsidy will cause havoc among the common people,” she told a public rally this afternoon. “To provide subsidy to the people is a social obligation — a humanitarian obligation of a government. Subsidy does not come from somebody’s personal fund but from the pockets of the people,” she said. Banerjee had on Monday accused the BJP of deviating from its commitment to the masses and said it “does not care about the people”. The Centre has ordered state-run oil companies to raise subsidised cooking gas prices by Rs 4 per cylinder every month to eliminate all the subsidies by March next year. The government had previously asked oil marketing companies to raise the prices of subsidised domestic LPG by Rs 2 on 14.2-kg cylinder per month (excluding VAT). Every household is entitled to 12 cylinders of 14.2-kg each at subsidised rates in a year. Any requirement beyond that is to be purchased at market price.