TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
OLD GOA: Stating that the LPG direct subsidy scheme had miserably failed in the State, St Andre MLA Vishnu Surya Wagh has demanded that the government revise the scheme and pay the subsidy in cash to the consumers and not through their bank accounts, which is a cumbersome process.
Wagh was speaking at a meeting organised near the Bharat Gas Agency in Pilar to protest the high-handed attitude of the agency staff.
Speaking further, Wagh demanded that the Centre should increase the subsidised LPG cylinders to 13 per year from the current 9. “A family of 4-5 consumes one cylinder within 20-22 days,” Wagh stated, while substantiating his demand for 13 cylinders a year.
Further, coming down heavily on the staff of the Bharat Gas Agency in Pilar, Wagh accused the staff of being non-cooperative and failing to attend to public grievances in a polite manner.
He then demanded that another agency be opened in St Andre constituency as this lone agency, which also caters to Cortalim, Sancoale, Santa Cruz, Chimbel and Merces, is not sufficient to cater to the demands of the people.
“The Pilar agency currently has 17,000 connections, the most in the State,” said Wagh and warned the agency owner that if he failed to treat the consumers respectfully in future, he would be forced to start an agency of his own.
Meanwhile, Wagh criticised the government for sending a strong police contingent at the meeting venue.
“The government appears afraid of St Andre voters as whenever any meeting takes place here, the police personnel are sent in huge numbers,” he said while stating that the government need not fear St Andre voters as they are peace-loving people.
Batim Sarpanch Minguelina Dias, former Goa Velha sarpanch Andrew Fernandes, freedom fighter Datta Borkar and others were present for the meeting which was attended by over 300 voters of St Andre constituency.
The Centre should increase the subsidised LPG cylinders to 13 per year from the current 9, because, a family of 4-5 consumes one cylinder within 20-22 days, said Wagh
