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Ujjwala beneficiaries will get an additional subsidy of ₹100, taking the entire amount to ₹300, the Union Cabinet decided on Wednesday. This will benefit 9.6 crore Ujjwala beneficiaries.
This means that the effective price of a 14.2 kg domestic cooking gas cylinder would be ₹600, taking the base price of ₹900 in Delhi. Though the government has not given any estimates for additional outgo from the exchequer, it is calculated to be in the range of ₹3,000–4,000 crore. For 2022–23, ₹6,100 crore was provided for the Ujjwala subsidy, which increased to ₹7,680 crore in the current 2023–24 fiscal (April 2023 to March 2024).
“For every refill, Ujjwala consumers will get an additional subsidy of ₹100,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said while giving details of the decision taken by the Cabinet and Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs. This is the second installment of the benefit to the Ujjwala beneficiary. Earlier, on the eve of Raksha Bandhan, the government lowered the base price by ₹200.
Ujjwala beneficiaries are getting ₹200/cylinder as a subsidy, and it is transferred to their bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism. Now, ₹300 will be transferred. However, consumers will have to pay the full price at the time of refill.
Also read: Government to incur ₹2,200/connection initially for new 75 lakh new Ujjwala beneficiaries
The latest hike in subsidies follows criticism by the opposition parties about the high LPG price. Parties like Congress are promising an LPG cylinder at ₹500 if voted to power.
Decisions for Telangana
The Cabinet approved the issue of further Terms of Reference (ToR) to the existing Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II) under Section 5(1) of the ISRWD Act for its adjudication between the States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh (AP). This is based on receipt of the legal opinion on the issues raised by Government of Telangana (GoT)
“The resolution of the dispute between the two States on the use, distribution, or control of Krishna river waters will open new avenues of growth in both the States of Telangana and AP and will be beneficial for the people of both States, thus helping in building our country stronger,” a government statement said.
The Cabinet also approved the introduction of a bill, the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in Parliament to amend the Central Universities Act, 2009, for setting up of Sammakka Sarakka CentralTribal University at Mulugu District, Telangana. There would be a provision of ₹889.07 crore.
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