New Delhi, Jan 30 (IANS) The government Thursday decided to increase the cap on subsidised LPG cylinders to 12 from the existing nine, which will put an additional burden of Rs.5,000 crore on the exchequer, Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily said.

The cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved the proposal that ensures that almost 99 percent of the population gets subsidised cooking gas.

The cabinet decision came in less than two weeks after Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi made a pitch for a higher cap on subsidised LPG cylinders.