India News | Gehlot Writes to PM on Rising Fuel Prices, Seeks Relief for Common Man

Jaipur, Jul 22 (PTI) Expressing deep concern over rising fuel prices and the Centre's move to end subsidy on LPG cylinders, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking immediate relief for people suffering from inflation.

Gehlot said the Centre had started the Ujjwala Yojana to provide clean fuel to the below poverty line (BPL) families, but due to the increase in the price of LPG, this scheme is proving to be unsuccessful.

"Poor people facing livelihood crisis due to Covid have been unable to pay the price of cylinders as the government has ended subsidy on LPG cylinder. Due to this, the percentage of consumers who get cylinders refilled is continuously decreasing, which is a matter of serious concern," he said in the letter.

Gehlot mentioned that in January 2013, the price of petrol was Rs 70.81 per litre and Rs 49.33 per litre for diesel, which has now gone up to Rs 108.21 and Rs 99 per litre, respectively.

Similarly, he said, the price of a domestic gas cylinder was Rs 865, on which subsidy of Rs 477 was being given. Therefore, the consumer had to spend only Rs 388 for one cylinder.

"Subsidy is not being given to the consumers since last 18 months which has forced women from poor and middle-class families to use wood and other traditional fuels for cooking. This is adversely affecting their health and the environment," he said.

Gehlot further said rising fuel prices have disturbed the budget of the common man who is facing hardships.

"With the increase in transportation cost, the rate of goods and services has also increased. Retail inflation has been over 6 per cent in the recent past, mainly due to the rising prices of petrol and diesel," he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)