Jaipur: Union Minister Smriti Irani on Sunday defended the increasing prices of domestic cylinders saying that the Prime Minister through his visionary schemes like 'Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana' has successfully provided free cylinders to women in villages even during the tough times of the coronavirus pandemic.
Irani who was in Jaipur, in a conversation with the media persons said when the PM was given the opportunity to serve the people of the country, over one crore citizens gave up the subsidy on gas cylinder, due to which those poor women of the country could not afford cylinders were unable to get a cylinder.
"Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, our government provided gas cylinders to the 14 crore poor people of the country under this scheme," she said.
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Further taking a dig at Ashok Gehlot government, Smriti Irani said that the Modi government is trying to control the prices of petrol diesel, but if Gehlot government wants they too can reduce the rates of VAT and help in reducing the prices. But, it's up to the Gehlot government of the state to reduce the rates of VAT and helps the people or puts the public under a burden, she said.
