"It's Raksha Bandhan gift": Temjen Imna Along on Centre's announcement to reduce LPG prices

Kohima, Nagaland [India], August 30 : With the Centre's announcement on the reduction of LPG prices by 200 rupees per cylinder, Nagaland Minister for Tourism and Higher Education Temjen Imna Along said that it was a "Raksha Bandhan gift" to the whole nation, stating that it didn't hold significance on religious perspective only but meant a gesture of goodwill, of friendship, of safety and security.
Replying to queries from reporters on the sideline of a programme on Wednesday at Kohima, Imna Along said that cutting down the price by such an amount will be a blessing for the consumers, especially the poor people, the middle class and the womenfolk.
The Centre had on Tuesday announced a reduction in the prices of cooking gas by Rs 200 per cylinder. The price of a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder will be reduced by Rs 200 across the country.
In Delhi, for instance, the decision will bring down the cost of a 14.2 kg cylinder from the existing Rs 1,103 per cylinder to Rs 903. This across-the-board reduction is in addition to the existing targeted subsidy of Rs 200 per cylinder to Ujjwala households, which will continue.
Therefore, the effective price in Delhi for Ujjwala beneficiaries after this reduction will be Rs 703. It may be noted that there are more than 31 crore domestic LPG consumers, including 9.6 crore Ujjwala beneficiaries.
The decision Modi government called it a gift to the "sisters" of the country so as to make the lives of the women in the country comfortable while on the contrary, the Opposition was quick to claim it as a 'political gimmick'.
Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Mizoram are set to go for Assembly polls later this year, followed by general elections in 2024.