KTR chides Centre over gas cylinder price hike

Hyderabad: Telangana Industries Minister K T Rama Rao on Thursday slammed the NDA government at the Centre, saying citizens were troubled with the constantly rising prices of gas cylinders in the country. He also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'failed' economic policies were 'adversely' affecting the common man.

His reaction comes a day after the rate of domestic 14.2 kg LPG cylinders was increased by Rs 50, by the union government. Rama Rao claimed that under the BJP rule during the past eight years, the cooking gas prices have increased 170 per cent in the country, creating a world record for selling the most expensive gas.

"With the recent increase of Rs 50, the country has seen a whopping Rs. 244 price increase on each gas cylinder this year alone," he noted. In 2014, when Prime Minister Modi came to power, the gas cylinder price was just Rs. 410. And now, it has increased threefold, with the present price being over Rs. 1,100. Terming the price rise as 'very unfortunate', he said it shows the "inefficiency" of the BJP government in the country.

Blaming the central government for sliding Rupee value against US Dollar and rising fuel prices, he said Under Modi's governance, the common man is finding it difficult to run a house on a budget but no BJP leader is concerned about these problems.

The Centre, instead of creating new jobs, is taking away the present jobs of the people, which is affecting their financial condition, making it more difficult for the common man to survive, he alleged. "The country is going through a difficult time where the BJP government is unable to control inflation," KTR said, while demanding that the Centre reduce the prices of gas cylinders for the welfare of the people and not stage dramas of reducing its rates during elections.