LPG subsidy extended by year, jute MSP hiked
New Delhi, March 7
The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the continuation of Rs 300 targetted subsidy to PM Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries for 2024-25, i.e., till March 31, 2025.
More than 10 crore families will benefit due to the extension of the subsidy and up to 12 cylinders will be provided free in a year to women beneficiaries of the scheme, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal told mediapersons after the Cabinet meeting.
A total of Rs 12,000 crore will be spent by the Centre on the extension of the subsidy in 2024-25, he added. Around 10.27 beneficiaries will get subsidy directly in their accounts due to the decision, said Goyal.
The Cabinet also approved a hike in the minimum support price (MSP) of raw jute by 5.6 per cent.
The MSP for raw jute for 2024-25 season has been hiked to Rs 5,335 per quintal, an increase of Rs 285 per quintal over the previous season. The decision is expected to benefit jute growers and farmers of eastern India, especially West Bengal.
With Lok Sabha elections round the corner, the decision to hike raw jute’s MSP is aimed at wooing the farming community in West Bengal, where prime minister Narendra Modi has given a call to his party BJP to win all 42 Lok Sabha seats.
