With a view to promote use of lPG gas in the country, especially in the rural parts of the country, the Government of India will organise more than 1 lakh ‘lPG Panchayats’ across the nation to resolve the queries of those families who are receiving lPG cylinders under Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana (PMUY).
The Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has given deadlines to all major Oil PSUs to complete at least 1 lakh lPG Panchayats within a year. The nationwide launch of the initiative will be done on Saturday at Isanpur – Mota village near Gandhinagar in presence of Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
‘‘In these Panchayats officials of the oil companies, distributors and NGOs will try to solve problems being faced by lPG connection holders, especially PMUY beneficiaries. We will try to explain safe practices of using lPG cylinders and tell the people that the fuel is not only environment friendly but much cheaper than conventional fuel (firewood),’’ said Sanjiv Jain, Executive Director Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) who is also State level co-coordinator for the PSU oil companies in Gujarat.
According to Jain in such Panchayats around 100 lPG beneficiaries under PMUY would share their experiences and at the same time the problem being faced by them. The oil companies would try to solve their problems promptly, he added.
Nearly 3 crore gas connections were given under PMUY after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the scheme on May 1, 2016, said Bharat Tilak, General Manager, Bharat Petroleum Company limited, adding that with the help of lPG Panchayats oil companies will try to touch 5 crore mark under the schemes in next 1 to 1.5 years.
These Panchayats would help those villagers who are still reluctant to adopt lPG gas in place of conventional fuel for some or other reasons, said Sanjay Malhotra, General Manager Hindustan Petroleum.
During Panchayats misconceptions about the lPG gas would be removed and they would be encouraged to use this green fuel, he added.