In leadership position? Oil minister may call you to give up LPG subsidy

NEW DELHI: A day after Arun Jaitley gave up his LPG subsidy, attorney-general Mukul Rohtagi and power minister Piyush Goyal followed suit on Saturday, even as oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan began a campaign to call one person in leadership position each day and urge them to give up government dole.

Pradhan launched his campaign with Akhilesh Yadav, congratulating the UP chief minister for rapid progress in enrollment for Pahal - or the revamped direct LPG benefit transfer scheme - in the state before requesting him to give up the subsidy.

Total enrollment - seeding bank account or Adhaar numbers with LPG consumer ID - has risen to 42% in UP from 11% in about two months since the process was launched in earnest by the ministry. Overall, about 1.5 lakh consumers are joining Pahal daily, notching a daily growth rate of 1%. About 50% of the 15.3 crore LPG consumers in the country are now on Pahal platform.

READ ALSO: Arun Jaitley gives up LPG subsidy, oil minister urges affluent consumers to follow suit

"The subsidy issue may not have registered with many people. Now that the government is highlighting the issue and the finance minister has set an example, I am hopeful of a positive response," Pradhan told ToI. Pradhan himself had surrendered subsidy in July.

That Jaitley's action was creating an impact was evident from Goyal's tweet: "Inspired by him, I am renouncing the LPG subsidy and urge all those who are economically well-off, to consider giving up the LPG subsidy too... This will ensure that our budgetary resources are only spent on the most needy and deserving, and be a great step towards national service."

Indeed, Goyal's tweet reflected the oil minister's views expressed while renewing his appeal after Jaitley's action on Friday. "Volunteering to give up LPG subsidy amounts to contributing for national development & empowerment of poor people, who will be the beneficiary," Pradhan had said in his tweet.

The government hopes to save about Rs 7,500 crore in LPG subsidy, pegged at Rs 46,458 crore last fiscal, through Pahal with rougly 80% enrolment rate. The Centre has already transferred Rs 1,260 crore into bank account of consumers. Pradhan hoped to achieve the 75-80% enrolment by February. He also praised ministry officials for the successful rollout of Pahal. "They have done a good job."

http://ift.tt/1p12GN4 Goyal,Oil minister,Mukul Rohtagi,lpg subsidy,Dharmendra Pradhan

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India’s mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.