Answer to Question #218863 in English for Rupinderjeet Kaur

Question

The government has decided to cut off subsidy on cooking gas which has resulted in creating tremendous pressure on budgeting household expense for middle class people. Write a letter to the Editor of a local daily expressing your views

Answer 1

109, Kai Havertz

Bajrang Nagar

Kanpur

20/07/2021

The Editor

Daily Paper Express

Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh

 Subject: Cut off subsidy on cooking gas

Dear Sir/Madam

Through the column of your prestigious daily, I wish to draw the attention of the concerned authorities towards the cut off subsidy on cooking gas. I'd like to attract the attention of the concerned authorities to the cutoff of the cooking gas subsidy through your prestigious daily's section. Higher taxes might generate up to 1% of GDP, which would be a fiscal boon given that the Covid-induced recession is expected to slash government revenue by 2% to 3% of GDP.

According to economist Ajit Ranade, taxation accounts for 70% of today's consumer price of cooking gas, indicating an excessively high carbon tax. I don't agree. Cooking gas in the country is still far cheaper than in Europe or Japan, while it is more expensive than in the low-taxed United States. All of them are significantly filthier than the country. To improve the quality of the air we breathe, we should increase fuel costs to reduce usage and encourage people to switch to electric stoves. That will take time and technology advancements, but electric cookers are already becoming more widely used.

Attempts at major price changes in the past frequently resulted in public outrage and prompted a rollback. However, during the previous UPA government, finance minister P Chidambaram devised a strategy of gradually raising prices by a few paise at a time over lengthy periods of time to reduce both impact and criticism. The BJP has used the same tactic, first eliminating cooking gas subsidies and now raising taxes on the same. Consumers are undoubtedly harmed, and the Congress is attempting to elicit widespread outrage. However, the majority of people appear to recognize that sacrifices are necessary in the current circumstances.

I'd want to appeal to the civic authorities to express their concern and take quick action in this regard.

Thank you

 

Yours truly

Kai Havertz