The LP Gas and Lanka Gas Companies should not have been sold to a foreign company but to a local private sector company, Deputy Minister of Plan Implementation Hussain Bhaila said Monday (6).

He said the price of gas had gone up twice in the current year but the government was not considering taking over the supplier as it was not the government’s policy to acquire private sector companies.

He was speaking at a press briefing, held at the Plan Implementation Ministry on the progress of made on the Mahinda Chintana policy programme.

Asked what the government could do to give relief to the consumers regarding domestic LP Gas prices which have been spiralling upwards in recent times, he said Trade Minister Jeyraj Fernandopulle is in the process of inviting other suppliers beside the two already in the business with a view to bring down the prices.