Midday meals for school kids to be hit by LPG price hike: Mamata

Kolkata: Accusing the Central government of not thinking about students while policy making, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said the cap on subsidised LPG cylinders will badly hit the mid-day meal scheme.

“This is a very sensitive matter. The Central Government has never thought of the fate of poor school children….There is a fear that these school children may have to go without food in schools due to enormous increase in price of non-subsidised LPG cylinder,” Banerjee said in a post on Facebook.

Pointing out that the real impact of the restriction on subsidised LPG cylinders was unfolding now, she said, “Common people have been burdened with additional Rs 127 (exclusive of taxes) per cylinder. The price is likely to go up further in the coming months.”

Calling her supporters to protest against the “unethical and immoral” decision, Banerjee said, “I’m told that more such unpleasant decisions are in the offing.”

“Is it what the common people expect from reforms? In the name of reforms, ‘loot chalche loot’ (loot is going on). To suppress it, ‘jhoot chalche jhoot’ (lies are being spread),” she wrote.

PTI