LPG distributors threaten to go on strike on October 1

New Delhi: Distributors of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders have threatened to go on a token strike on October 1, opposing the cap on sale of subsidised cylinders.

The government has restricted the supply of subsidised cooking gas cylinders to six per household in a year. A subsidised cylinder costs about Rs 400 and the market price is Rs 800, which what families will have to pay if they want LPG cylinders over and above the cap of six

Distributors say that with the new system coming into place, black-marketing will increase. They claim that now the gas cylinders will be available in five different price variations, making it impossible to track the supply.

"When you're selling one cylinder for Rs 400 and another cylinder for Rs 800, of course you are giving rise to blackmarketing. People will sell the subsidised cylinders in black for Rs 800," said Pawan Soni, General Secretary, All India LPG Distributors Federation.

The LPG distributors are demanding single price system.

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The Congress-led UPA government had announced the cap on gas cylinders on September 13. However, a week later, the Congress-ruled states had declared that they will give three extra subsidised cooking gas cylinders per household.