Centre’s decision to withdraw LPG subsidy will affect farmers and salaried class who are already reeling under price rise of essential commodities, they say
Peeved by the cut in subsidy for essential items, the latest being the Centre’s decision to phase out subsidy for domestic LPG cylinders, women across Kerala have assertively sought optimal utilisation of massive funds saved by the government under this head for public good.
The Centre must proactively take steps to provide better public infrastructure and improve quality of services by government agencies, using the funds it would save by way of ending LPG subsidy, said Suja C.T., a Kochi-based lawyer. “Governments speak a lot about diverting such funds for people’s welfare. Little takes place at the ground level though government coffers increase, as can be seen from the deplorable condition of roads and public amenities.”
She suggested retaining of subsidy for families that use less than six or seven LPG cylinders every year. This will encourage consumers to adopt better cooking practices, prevent wastage of LPG and also lessen its misuse. As for me, I often rely on induction cooker — which cooks faster, when the LPG cylinder gets exhausted. But LPG stoves have the advantage of having multiple burners, Ms. Suja said.
Expressing a similar opinion, Sobha Jacob of Kochi, who is home employed, was sceptical about whether an end to subsidy will ensure better services from the government. “The government must ensure that the huge funds its saves benefit marginalised sections of society. People have no clue of what happens to the massive amounts that is collected as tax,” Ms. Jacob said.
‘Farmers will be hit’
“The increase in price of subsidised cylinders may not affect government employees much, but those dependant on agriculture and living on daily wages will feel the heat of the decision,” said Deepa Jose, a college lecturer from Thiruvananthapuram. “Farmers are already reeling from a fall in agriculture production and lack of profits owing to many reasons, climate change being one. This will hurt them all the more. Demonetisation’s after-effects are still being felt, especially by those who work on daily wages, such as construction workers. They too will be hit by the government move,” she said.
“I oppose the plan to take away the subsidy. The government should make arrangements to offer subsidy based on a person’s financial status, for which BPL and APL classification should be foolproof,” said Bidula P.B. from Elathur, Kozhikode.
‘Will cook less’
“Already, I cook curries for four days at a time. Now I think I will have to cook together for a week. It is going to be difficult for me to manage with the prices of all essential commodities going up,” said Vandana Rao from East Hill, Kozhikode.
Nimmy Shaji, a homemaker from Mundakkal in Kollam, said that an LPG cylinder is one of the most important requirements of a house and its price hike on account of the subsidy withdrawal will badly hit the middle-income group in particular. “Daily wage earners have the advantage of hiked wages whenever the price of commodities goes up. Salaried middle income group people cannot demand a salary hike like this. LPG is an inevitable item and its subsidy withdrawal will simply upset every household budget.”
“It’s an affront to homemakers,” said Sheila Stephen, former college professor and currently president of the Kerala Vanitha Congress, the women’s wing of the Kerala Congress(M). Family budgets are already under strain from the unprecedented price rise of provision and vegetables. Instead of taking measures to alleviate their problems, the Union government has added yet another burden on women, she said. The government at the Centre has created a situation where it was impossible for the common man to eke out a living, she said.
The Centre’s decision to gradually do away with the LPG subsidy for APL (above the poverty line) families is a just move in the right direction, said S. Leelamony, a retired History professor from Thiruvalla. “There may be a large number of people who are against the government decision. In my opinion, APL cardholders should have voluntarily given up the LPG subsidy in the larger interests of strengthening the country’s financial position,” she said. A good number of people have already given up the subsidy over the past two years, responding to the Prime Minister’s request, Ms. Leelamony added.
(Inputs from John L. Paul, Kochi; Roshni R.K., Thiruvananthapuram; Aabha Raveendran, Kozhikode; Ignatius Periera, Kollam; George Jacob, Kottayam; and Radhakrishnan Kuttoor, Pathanamthitta)
