Ashok Gehlot made this announcement in the presence of Rahul Gandhi.
Jaipur:
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot today made a big announcement ahead of the next year’s assembly elections, saying that the Rajasthan government will provide cooking gas cylinders at Rs 500 to those living below the poverty line and those enrolled in the Ujjwala scheme. Criticizing the BJP in the presence of senior party leader Rahul Gandhi, the Chief Minister announced that it would provide 12 cylinders in a year to each of these families at less than half the cost.
“I am preparing for the budget next month… Right now, I want to say only one thing. Under the Ujjwala scheme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi provided LPG connections to the poor… But the cylinder remains empty, Because the rates (of cylinders) are now between Rs 400 and Rs 1,040,” Mr Gehlot said.
“I would like to say that we will provide 12 cylinders for Rs 500 per year to the poor under the Ujjwala scheme,” Gehlot said.
Assembly elections are due in Rajasthan next year and the Congress is going to contest the elections for the second time in a row in the state. But more than governance, the party has drawn attention to its infighting.
A fresh tussle had erupted between Mr Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot earlier this month just before Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra reached the state.
Mr. Gandhi, who was in Alwar today, praised the achievements of Mr. Gehlot’s government, making special mention of the opening of 1,700 English medium schools. The announcement is being seen as a signal given by Mr Gehlot to Team Pilot that his position is secure and he will present next year’s election budget and lead from the front.
The government’s announcement is expected to give a fresh impetus to the debate on freebies and subsidies, which till now was directed at Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party.
The matter is pending before the Supreme Court, which during a hearing in August had suggested that there should be an all-party discussion on it.