New Delhi, Dec 17 (IANS): There is no proposal to stop supply of subsidised cooking gas cylinder to the rich, parliament was told Wednesday.

"There is no proposal under consideration of the government to stop supplying subsidised cooking gas to the rich people," Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan said in the Rajya Sabha here.

The state-run oil marketing firms had provided an option for the well-to-do consumers to surrender the subsidy and switch over to buying an LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinder at market price.

"The oil marketing firms have given an option to consumers to convert their domestic LPG connection into a non-subsidised connection through their distributor," Pradhan told the law makers.

According to ministry data, of the 15-crore LPG consumers across the country, 12,471 have voluntarily opted out of the subsidised scheme so far.

The ministry also advised ministers, lawmakers, officials and executives of state-run firms to give up their subsidised LPG connection and buy cooking gas cylinder at the market price.

A subsidised 14.2 kg LPG cylinder costs Rs.417 as against the market price of Rs.752 in the Delhi market.