Around 55 lakh lPG connections have been distributed under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana to poor people in the country, including five lakh in Odisha, 25,000 in Angul district and 4,000 in Palalahara, told Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan here.
Addressing a huge gathering at Palalahara on the occasion of lPG distribution programme under the PMUY, Pradhan said, “This is the first time in the history of the country that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas is implementing a welfare scheme benefitting crores of women belonging to the poorest households. The PMUY will increase usage of lPG thus reducing health disorders due to usage of polluting conventional cooking fuels like wood, cow dung, etc. It will reduce air pollution caused by smoke from solid fuel usage in kitchens and other places. It will ensure reduced deforestation and cutting down of trees for firewood.”
He said that providing lPG connections to BPl households will ensure universal penetration of cooking gas in the country.
This measure will empower women and protect their health.
It will reduce drudgery and the time spent on cooking and provide employment for rural youth in the supply chain of cooking gas, he said.
Pradhan criticised the State Government for preparing faulty BPl list for which many poor people are deprived of getting the benefits from various Central schemes.
“Very soon 90 per cent of the poor people of the State will be benefited by this scheme,” he told, thanking the Modi regime for making
various schemes for the
poor.
He distributed 1,500 lPG connections to the beneficiaries on the occasion.
Among others, former MP Rudra Narayan Pany, BJP leaders Kalandi Samal and Ashok Mohanty were
present.