New Delhi, Aug 29 (IANS): With eyes set firmly on the forthcoming elections, the Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved reduction in prices of LPG gas cylinders by Rs 200 for all connection holders.

In addition to this, the Cabinet also cleared the proposal to give 75 lac new LPG cylinders connections under the Ujjwala scheme, thus taking the total beneficiaries to more than 10 crore across the country, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur told mediapersons after the Cabinet briefing.

As of now, the price of domestic LPG, which is used in the kitchen for cooking purposes, is Rs 1,103 per 14.2-kg cylinder in New Delhi. This will now come down by Rs 200 per cylinder.

Domestic LPG cylinder prices were last revised on March 1, when they were hiked by Rs 50 per cylinder.

The decision comes with Assembly elections scheduled in four states in December and Lok Sabha polls are to be held next year.

Oil marketing companies (OMCs) have been reporting heavy under-recoveries due to lack of hike in prices of domestic cooking gas.

Under the Ujjwala scheme, the government provided free LPG connection to women beneficiaries in rural households.

The beneficiaries already get a Rs 200 subsidy and now there will be further Rs 200 cut for all domestic LPG connection holders, Thakur said.

He further informed that the new connections are being given to those beneficiaries who have been added owing to marriage of girls and issuance of new ration cards.