5 Crores LPG Connections to Women member of BPL Households by March’19 under “Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana” (PMUY)
Mangaluru : Addressing the media persons during a press meet held at Mangalore Press Club, H.C.Krsihna-District Nodal Officer,PMUY- Dakshina Kannada said, “MoP&NG, Govt. of India introduced ‘Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana’ (PMUY) for which budgetary provision of Rs.12,800 crore has been provided for releasing 5 Crores LPG connections to women member of BPL households by March’19 and additional 3 Crore LPG connections by March 2020. The scheme was formally launched by Hon’ble PM Sh. Narendra Modi at Ballia, Uttar Pradesh on 1 May 2016. Industry has crossed 5 Crore mark during August ’18 which was 8 months ahead of schedule”.
He further said, “Since inception till 26.12.2018, Industry released more than 5.86 crore LPG connections on all India basis under the scheme. In the district South Kanara , Karnataka IOC has released 5277 ,BPC 3754 and HPC 9138 that is total 18169 number of beneficiaries have been provided with LPG connection under the scheme till date. Last year the PMUY coverage was enhanced and new 7 categories SC/STs households, beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) (Gramin), Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), Forest dwellers, Most Backward Classes (MBC), Tea & Ex-Tea Garden Tribes, people residing in Islands / river islands”.
“Recently, in order to give a universal reach of clean cooking fuel LPG in the country the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister, has given a latest decision to release deposit free LPG connections to poor families, who were not getting considered earlier for release of LPG connections under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) on account of their names not appearing either in Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) list or the seven identified categories i.e. SC/STs households, beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana(PMAY) (Gramin), Antyodaya Anna Yojana(AAY), Forest dwellers, Most Backward Classes (MBC), Tea & Ex-Tea Garden Tribes, people residing in Islands / river islands” added Krishna. .
Also speaking on the occasion, N. Ramesh-Chief Regional Manager, HPCL-Mangaluru LPG Regional Office said,”Now, the identified poor households who were deprived to avail the scheme benefits for want of not appearing in SECC list or not able to certify their eligibility in the seven categories; can avail the scheme benefits by submitting the KYC alongwith Aadhaar and bank account details of applicant, aadhaar details of adult family members, Ration Card and 14 point exclusion criteria declaration as per SECC. PMUY is a revolution which has removed smoke from the kitchens of the poor households in the country by providing them accessibility to clean cooking fuel LPG and making it one of the largest social inclusion initiative ever”.
He further said, “The scheme has resulted in mass coverage of rural poor households and have led to improved national LPG coverage which was less than 62% as on 01.04.2016 to 89.5% as on 01.12.2018. Today district has covered 487568 households with LPG as cooking fuel and District LPG coverage stands at 97.14 % as against earlier coverage of 86.34 % as on 01.04.2016. 95 % beneficiaries under the scheme, who could not afford to make upfront payment for purchase of gas stove and first refill, were provided loan facility by the OMCs. It is significant to mention that 91% of PMUY beneficiaries in the district have comeback for refill of LPG cylinder after the connection released and the average per capita consumption is 4.27 cylinders per annum”.
“The other benefits (Socio-Economic Impact) of the scheme can be seen as: 1. A large number of rural poor households using conventional cooking fuels such as firewood/agriculture waste/ biomass/kerosene are switching to clean cooking fuel LPG. By use of clean cooking fuel LPG the indoor household pollution from the kitchens is removed; 2.Significant direct health benefits for women and their families as a result of reducing exposure to household air pollution from burning of solid fuels and kerosene; 3. Reduction in emissions of pollutants such as methane, black carbon and organic carbon released by inefficient solid fuel stoves, with the first two species contributing to global warming; 4. Less pressure on forests, where wood fuel including charcoal use is harvested non-renewably and contributing to loss of forests; 5. Reduction in women and child labour time in fuel collection and cooking, opening up opportunities for alternative engagement in education, other productive labour and social activities; 6. The opportunity to increase societal benefit from global LPG use, given that LPG is abundant”added N Ramesh. .
