Chief Minister Raman Singh on Friday commenced the ‘Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana’ — the scheme under which poor families are being provided free lPG connection at a nominal registration cost `200 in the State.
The Chief Minister also participated in the extensive tree plantation campaign organised at Sivni village, near Balod district headquarters along with the school students and other citizens.
On the occasion, Singh inaugurated, laid foundation and did bhumi-pujan of 115 development works worth nearly `51.40 crore.
On the occasion, in his address to the massive public gathering, the Chief Minister said that Balod district is undergoing development at an accelerated pace.
He also provided detailed information about Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana and various other schemes.
Singh said that under this scheme, nearly 90,000 poor families will be provided free lPG connection in the name of female member of the family. This will relieve them of the smoke of wooden stove and of the diseases it causes. In addition, nearly 12 crore trees will be saved.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister also distributed lED bulbs to power consumers under Ujala Yojana of the State Energy Department.
In the programme, the Chief Minister commenced Ujjwala Yojana by distributing lPG connection to 10 women beneficiaries of the district.
He also distributed cheques to the beneficiaries under schemes of labour Department and gave away cheques of subsidy and soil health cards to beneficiaries of Agriculture Department’s schemes.
Notably, women of more than 44,514 poor families in Chhattisgarh have been provided lPG connection in the short span of one month under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, officials informed.
This includes 34,682 families of rural areas, 4,329 families of urban areas and 5,503 labour families. It is noteworthy that Ujjwala scheme was inaugurated by Union Minister of Natural Gas and Petroleum Dharmendra Pradhan in a programme organised on August 13, presided over by Chief Minister Raman Singh.
Under this scheme, beneficiaries are being provided double burner stove at the nominal cost of `200, along with the first lPG cylinder for free. The State has target of providing lPG connection to 25 lakh poor families during the next two years, under this scheme.
Officers of Food, Civil Supply and Consumer Protection Department informed that 4691 families in Dhamtari district, 6206 families in Raipur district, 4051 families in Rajnandgaon district, 3,296 families inJanjgir-Champa district, 2,195 families of Mahasamund district, 1,990 families of Durg district, 1,839 families of North Bastar (Kanker) district, 2,512 families in Jashpur district, 2,637 families of Raigarh district, 1,694 poor families Korba district, 2,087 families of Kabeerdham district, 3,306 families of Bilaspur district, 974 families of Balod district, 683 families of Balodabazar-Bhatapara district, 495 families of Bastar district, 1212 families of Koriya district, 775 families of Bemetara district, 244 families of Balrampur-Ramanujganj district, 537 families of Kondagaon district, 217 families of Surajpur district, 96 families of South Bastar (Dantewada) district, 279 families of Sarguja district and 30 families of Narayanpur district have been provided domestic lPG connection under the scheme, in the duration of one month.