Households with incomes of over ₹10 lakh per annum may have to give up subsidised LPG gas. The Centre is moving in this direction, said M Venkaiah Naidu, Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Parliamentary Affairs.

This is a follow-up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Giveitup’ call earlier this year, which has resulted in more than 30 lakh people voluntarily giving up their LPG subsidy so far, he said.

Speaking at a ‘Breakfast with BusinessLine ’ event at the ITC Kakatiya Hotel moderated by BusinessLine Editor Mukund Padmanbhan, Naidu outlined how the Narendra Modi-led NDA Government was focussing on development, bringing about transparency in governance and minimising people’s intervention.

‘First set of SPVs for 20 smart cities will be ready by mid-Dec’

“Within a short time, the economy has been put back on rails, and efforts are on to accelerate reforms,” he told a diverse audience of corporate chiefs, social activists, investors and senior bureaucrats.

Referring to the Goods and Services Tax Bill, which is awaiting clearance from the Rajya Sabha, Naidu said, “It will not take much time to clear the Bill as we have the requisite numbers. However, to pass it, the House should be allowed to conduct business.”

The government, he said, is aware of some of the concerns expressed by States such as Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra, which have a strong manufacturing base. “I am certain that in the next session we will be able to persuade the Opposition to back the Bill and have it passed,” he added.

Housing clearances Described as a man for all seasons, the Urban Development Minister does not miss much on what is happening in rural India even as he focuses on developing smart cities.

“I have initiated a process to simplify clearances for housing. Instead of people having to rush to Delhi for, say, a clearance from the Civil Aviation Ministry for constructing a house in Hyderabad, we are looking at a process where all the clearances can be done by the local authorities, within 60 days. This will be shortly launched,” he said.

Referring to the current debate on growing intolerance, Naidu said: “Sporadic incidents have been blown out of proportion. India is a hypersensitive country. There is a pattern in the criticism, and return of awards, which is getting highlighted in the international media, is tending to damage the country’s image.

The Prime Minister cannot respond to every incident, , Naidu said.

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