Centre sets into motion second phase of PMUY

DAHOD: The Centre today launched the second phase of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana ( PMUY) for three states -- Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Earlier on May 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Rs 8,000-crore scheme at Balia in Uttar Pradesh designed to provide 5 crore free LPG connections to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families in the next three financial years.

The scheme is being partly funded from the savings of the GiveItUp initiative.

Fifteen women from BPL families from the three states were handed over LPG connections today, the Petroleum Ministry said in a statement.

Speaking at the event, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, "The administrative cost of Rs 1,600 per connection, which includes a cylinder, pressure regulator, booklet, safety hose, etc would be borne by the government."

He added that the scheme would change lives of women from BPL families in a major way by reducing the drudgery of cooking with polluting fuels and go a long way in reducing indoor pollution and other health-related problems faced by them.

The government aims to provide 25 lakh of new LPG and 15 lakh PNG connections to increase the use of clean fuel in Gujarat.

Over 15.5 crore consumers have benefited from direct transfer of subsidy on LPG to their bank accounts, which has also resulted in prevention of subsidy leakages to the unintended.

"The voluntary surrendering of subsidy by over 1 crore customers under the GiveItUp campaign has helped the government provide LPG to poor households," he said.

Pradhan spoke about the ministry pushing the oil marketing companies (OMCs) in offering customer-centric offerings like online booking and release of new connections and online booking and payment for LPG refills, among others.

Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, along with BJP national President Amit Shah, were present at the event.