Ahead of state elections, LPG price slashed by Rs 200

The government on Tuesday slashed by Rs 200 the price of domestic cooking gas cylinder, apparently to counter the cheaper LPG promise of the Congress in upcoming assembly elections in key states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, besides Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram.

A 14.2-kg LPG cylinder costs Rs 1,103 in New Delhi currently. It will cost Rs 903 from Wednesday. For Ujjwala beneficiaries, the price will be Rs 703 after considering the continuing Rs 200 per cylinder subsidy.

Announcing the decision, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said the move is aimed at providing relief to households. Also, the government will provide an additional 75 lakh Ujjwala connections, which will take the total PMUY beneficiaries to 10.35 crores.

The state assembly elections are scheduled later this year in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls likely to be held in early 2024. The Union Cabinet also adopted a resolution hailing the soft-landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the lunar surface, saying the success of the mission is a victory not just for the ISRO but a symbol of India's progress and ascent on the global stage. The meeting congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation on its efforts, thanked the scientists and noted that India has become the first country to land near the Moon's south pole.

"Landing on the moon, with predicted accuracy, in itself is a momentous achievement. Landing near the South Pole of the Moon, overcoming the arduous conditions, is a testament to the spirit of our scientists, who since centuries have sought to push the boundaries of human knowledge," read the resolution.