The Ujjwala Yojna aims to provide security-free LPG connections to Below Poverty Line families
Union Minister for Petroleum Dharmendra Pradhan launched the Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojna, which aims to provide security-free LPG connections to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, in poll-bound Himachal Pradesh (HP) on Thursday.
The scheme was launched at the state level in a programme organised at Solan District Headquarters, where the chief guests were Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Virbhadra Singh and MP Virendra Kashyap.
During the programme, gas connections were distributed to 200 BPL women from across the district. Women expressed happiness at the scheme and said that the move will help improve their overall health.
"The central government has so far benefited about 2.25 crore women under this scheme and today we are launching it in HP. Our main objective with this scheme is to make women healthy. At least 50 new centres for LPG distribution will be opened in the state soon," Pradhan said.
"Forest cutting, including green forests, has been going on for long in the state. This will act as a message for forest protection in their respective neighbourhoods. The Ujjwala scheme will also help reduce cutting and increasing green cover in the state," Pradhan said.
He also said that his ministry is augmenting both supply and distribution infrastructure in HP to reduce the average waiting time for refill of LPG cylinders. "We are working on setting up two more bottling plants. By next month, we will also be adding 50 new LPG distributors in HP," Pradhan said.
While launching the scheme with Pradhan, Nadda, around whom the BJP politics in the state is revolving at the moment, expressed his happiness about the scheme being launched. He said that the scheme will help women keep cancer at bay. "Over 2 crore women have already been benefited by the Ujjwala scheme and over 700 districts across India are covered under the scheme. Now, the kitchens of HP will also become smoke-free. Women were becoming victims of cancer due to smoke from stoves. But now, with this scheme, they will get rid of the stoves. This will further prevent the various kinds of cancer," said Nadda.
Singh said on the occasion that the Ujjwala scheme is not new to Himachal and a similar scheme, known as the 'Shabari' scheme, is already in place in the state.
FIRING UP
- The Ujjwala Yojna aims to provide security-free LPG connections to Below Poverty Line families.
- The Centre has so far benefited about 2.25 crore women under this scheme.
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 "Ujjwala scheme")
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