Bengaluru: Food and civil supplies minister KH Muniyappa Wednesday assured the legislative assembly there will be no shortage in supply of domestic LPG cylinders even as reports of shortfalls triggered heated exchanges between Congress and opposition BJP members.The debate began after reports that some hotels in Bengaluru had shut down due to shortage of commercial LPG cylinders. Recalling former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri’s appeal for restraint during the 1965 food crisis, Muniyappa said Shastri had asked citizens to skip one meal a week to conserve food and strengthen the country during difficult times. Muniyappa said the message remains relevant even today and urged people to use LPG judiciously during the current shortage.Explaining the outcome of a meeting with oil companies earlier in the day, the minister said officials informed him there was adequate stock to supply one LPG cylinder per family once in every 28 days. He said sufficient supply is being ensured for hospitals, hostels and medicine-manufacturing units. At the same time, Muniyappa acknowledged there has been some disruption in supply of commercial LPG cylinders.The issue was raised during zero hour by Kunigal MLA HD Ranganath, who alleged that black marketing had begun in Bengaluru. Ranganath claimed domestic cylinders were being sold for Rs 2,000 and commercial cylinders for Rs 4,000 in the black market. He blamed the Centre’s foreign policy for the price rise, triggering protests from BJP MLAs.IT-BT minister Priyank Kharge joined the debate and accused the Centre of creating panic among the public by invoking Essential Services Maintenance Act. Chief minister Siddaramaiah backed Ranganath and Priyank and questioned why BJP members objected whenever the Centre’s role in gas supply is mentioned.
