Union Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily on Saturday said the Union Cabinet would take a decision on increasing the number of subsidised domestic LPG cylinders from six to nine soon. Speaking to reporters, he said that Rs 1.60 lakh crore subsidy was being given to fuel and gas.
The state government, which had received Rs 80,000 crore in the last four-and-a-half years, should also come forward to increase the number of LPG cylinders to nine as done in the Congress-ruled states, he observed.
When asked about the mid-day meal scheme badly affected for not providing subsidised LPG cylinders, he said the Union Human Resource Department should decide on providing subsidised cylinder to schools.
He said the ministry should make financial provision and added that he would take up the issue with them. Referring to energy production, he said the government would come out with a road map to make India self-sufficient in the next 15 years.
“The government wants to cut down the dependency on fuel by 50 per cent by 2016 and will roll out an open acreage policy to explore oil,” he stated.
He said the oil companies were under terrible loss and depending for fuel on other countries. As a step to cut down dependency on oil, the government had given its nod to blend 50 per cent ethanol with oil across the country.
It would also encourage biofuel production, he added. Observing that the country had greater potential for producing coal mythene gas, he said that KSRTC would also be permitted to run its buses on biofuel.
When asked about the delay in introducing reservation in Promotion Bill, he said that the UPA government was committed to bring reservation in promotion. The government had held five round of talks with the Opposition parties and it had introduced it during the previous Parliament session. However, the bill could not be passed or debated following opposition from a few members, he stated.
He said that the government would ensure that the bill was passed to protect the interest of oppressed classes.