Now, consumers can book two LPG cylinders a month

The government on Friday allowed consumers to buy more than one subsidised LPG cylinder in a month, but the overall number of subsidised cooking gas cylinders will remain at 12 a year.

The government had initially capped the supply of subsidised LPG cylinders to six per household annually in September 2012, in a bid to cut its subsidy bill. The quota was raised to nine per household in January 2013.

It was again raised to 12 from nine this January on the demand of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who was apprised by Congress-ruled states that the cap on cylinders was the main cause of the UPA’s defeat in the Assembly elections of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Delhi late last year.

The linking of Aadhaar cards with LPG subsidy was also done away with.