National Conference senior leader, Dr. Sheikh Mustafa Kamaal Thursday expressed his dismay at the steep increase in domestic LPG price making it more than double almost overnight while as BPL category is getting it at a much lower rate. This wide gap between the two is unjustified. Also HP brand LPG does not blacken utensils and has a mild odour in comparison to Indian oil and Bharat Petroleum LPG brands which have higher odour and blacken utensils.
He said this needs to be examined by the authorities as demanded by people to allay suspicion that sub –standard LPG is provided to J&K deliberately with the dual purpose of tormenting them and making a fast buck. “The delegations that met me demanded that higher cost incurred in providing LPG at nearly a thousand Rupees per cylinder should partly be borne by the government as this policy tent amounts to “ robbing peter to pay Paul”.The delegation also castigated the government for increasing the price of rice from ration shops by 50% from rupees 10% per kg to Rs 15 per kg fee be Rs 500/- per quintal against Rs 1000/ per quintal earlier.
In over thirty years from 1977 the price of one kilo of rice rose by only 3/ from Rs 7/ to Rs 10/ per kilo while as the steep hike from Rs 10/ to Rs 15/ per kg was done by the PDP Government recently in one go which has hit the people hard. It is more so because earnings of the common man is the lowest ever due to the decades long unrest showing no indication of subsiding as yet. Also complaints are pouring in that monthly quota of rations is being given at below sanctioned quota at varying quantities.Dr. Kamaal asked the Government to reverse these anti people measures because of which the state Government is presiding over the death of the public distribution system which along with the transport department of the government have been some of the success stories since their inception seventy years ago. (CNS)