"Govt. Can Bear Full LPG Subsidy Burden"

Former Congress minister Dr P Shankar Rao on Thursday took serious note on Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy for stating that the State Government was not in a position bear the subsidy of LPG cylinders.

Talking to reporters at Assembly media point, he demanded that the state government bear the full subsidy on LPG in the wake of Congress president Sonia Gandhi asking the Congress-ruled states to provide nine cylinders per household annually at subsidized rates against earlier order of six cylinders per family. Thanking Sonia Gandhi for announcing nine cylinders, he asked Kiran Kumar Reddy to make it 12 per year by "bearing the full subsidy burden".

If all government departments realise their long pending arrears by convening a meeting, he said that it would not be difficult for the government to bear the gas subsidy burden. He also expressed regrets for the fall of Congress' vote bank from 33-34% to 19% in the state due to not filling of nominated posts. If the government goes ahead with local body elections as per the schedule and takes steps to fill party posts, he said that the morale of the party cadre would get a boost. (INN)