The government today raised quota of subsidised LPG cylinders to 12 cylinders per household in a year from the current nine. The hike will be effective from 1st of April. However, consumers will get one extra cylinder each during February and March this year, beyond the quota of nine. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee of Political Affairs in New Delhi.

Briefing media, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister M Veerappa Moily said one cylinder will be given to consumers every month. He said hike in the subsidised LPG quota will cost five thousand crore rupees more in subsidy to the exchequer annually. Moily said after the hike in quota, about 97 per cent of the LPG consumers would be covered by subsidised LPG. Moily said it was a genuine demand by Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi.

The Minister also said the direct benefit transfer scheme for LPG has been put on hold. Explaining the reasons behind the move, he said there were complaints about its implementation and a committee has been set up to look into the issues. Under the scheme, consumers in as many as 289 districts in 18 states got the subsidy amount in their bank accounts to buy cooking gas at market rate.