-The Telegraph Calcutta: Demand for commercial gas has risen sharply in Bengal, prompting suggestions that the subsidy cap on domestic cylinders has unmasked one of the worst-kept secrets in the country. The sudden spurt is being attributed to demand from commercial establishments and auto-rickshaws that were so far depending heavily on the subsidised cooking gas rampantly pilfered from the domestic segment. “We have been selling 6,000 (commercial) cylinders a day (to establishments) after...

-The Hindu “If it is withdrawn, Centre will need to compensate States for increased cooking fuel cost” Unable to get an exemption for the cooking gas cylinders used for the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in the wake of a steep hike in the prices of domestic gas, Union Human Resource Minister Kapil Sibal has suggested that the Petroleum Ministry consider providing subsidised LPG cylinders for the current fiscal year. “It might be preferable at...

-The Business Standard A decision has been taken to gradually initiate Aadhaar and non-Aadhaar based LPG subsidy transfer through the OMCs  Having capped subsidised LPG cylinder to six, the government plans to move to a single price for domestic LPG by directly transferring subsidy to consumers with or without Aadhaar number. A committee of officials from ministries of petroleum, banking, expenditure, finance and UIDAI will prepare a white paper on the modalities...

-The Business Standard Government taking steps to offer cooking gas to all rural households  India plans to provide affordable electricity to all households in the next five years, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said today. "The Government of India aims to provide 24x7 electricity to all households in the country and affordable access to electricity in the next 5 years," he said inaugurating an International Seminar on Energy Access organised by the Ministry of...

-Pragativadi Bhubaneswar: With the Centre restricting subsidised cooking gas cylinders to six per year, the Odisha government has been contemplating to provide certain relief to BPL families having LPG connections. The food, supplies and consumer welfare department has, sources said, undertaken an exercise with the LPG providing oil companies to work out a strategy for the purpose. Before taking any decision, the state government has proposed to seek information from the oil marketing...