Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) beneficiaries using five kg cooking gas cylinders will be entitled to eight free refills in three months due to the nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of coronavirus outbreak. According to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Sunday said PMUY beneficiaries have received 85 lakh cooking gas cylinders in April 2020.

According to centre’s relief package, free LPG Refills are to be provided to Ujjwala beneficiaries over the period of three months, from April to June 2020. Those who are using small cylinders will get eight free cylinders in three months – April, May and June – under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY). The demand for LPG by PMUY consumers increased in the country after the centre announced free LPG cylinder refills for them under the PMGKY,” the ministry said.

“As on date, oil marketing companies (OMCs) have initiated transfer of Rs 5,606 crore into 7.15 crore PMUY beneficiary accounts for availing free delivery of LPG cylinder under the PMGKY.

Booking of 1.26 crore cylinders has been done in this month by the beneficiaries, out of which about 85 lakh cylinders have been delivered to PMUY beneficiaries,” an official statement said.

“There are 27.87 crore active LPG consumers in the country, with the PMUY beneficiaries accounting for over 8 crore. Since the lockdown, 50 to 60 lakh cylinders are being delivered daily in the country… Even in these trying times, the waiting period for cylinders at most of the places is less than two days,” the statement said.

“From Mountainous terrain to backwaters, hamlets in deserts to habitations in forests, these Corona warriors are steadfast in their duties and ensuring timely delivery. Even in these trying times, the waiting period for cylinders at most of the places is less than 2 days. Oil marketing companies- IOCL, BPCL and HPCL have announced an

ex-gratia amount of Rs 5 lakh each, as a one-time special measure, in the unfortunate case of demise of personnel like Show-room Staff, Godown-keepers, Mechanics and Delivery boys, attending duty in the LPG distributorship chain, due to the infection and impact of Covid-19,” it said.

PMUY was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 1, 2016 in Ballia (Uttar Pradesh) to provide free cooking gas connections to 50 million poor households. Later, the target was raised to 80 million households, which was achieved six months in advance on September 7, 2019.