Centre mulling on relaxing cap on subsidised LPG cylinders: PDP

SRINAGAR: Opposition Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) today claimed that the Centre was actively considering to relax the cap on subsidised LPG cylinders for Jammu and Kashmir.

"Union minister for petroleum Veerapa Moily said the Government of India was actively considering a raise in the cooking gas cylinder cap in case of Jammu and Kashmir," an official spokesperson said after party president Mehbooba Mufti called on Moily in New Delhi yesterday.

The spokesman said Mehbooba pleaded with Moily that Jammu and Kashmir could not be treated at par with other states in view of harsh climatic conditions prevailing here and the fact that most of the population has to face sub zero temperatures for months together.

She said in absence of alternative sources of fuel, the cooking gas had become a tool of survival in the state.

"The fact that most of the hydro power generated in the state went into the national energy pool made it all the more imperative that the cap of subsidised cylinders is raised at least to 12 cylinders per year," Mehbooba told the minister.

The PDP president also asked the minister to set up two additional LPG bottling plants for the valley in north and south Kashmir.

The existing plants have failed to cater to the requirements fully which was cited as a reason for the irrational decision of south Kashmir being linked to Jammu for gas supply, she added.

Conveying her anguish to about the severe shortage of cooking gas in the state, Mehbooba asked Moily to speed up the process of opening more counters at block level.