32 Lakh families from Tamilnadu got the free LPG connection : Center sets record by achieving the 8 crore target seven months before the deadline

Narendra Modi led central government has achieved the target of distributing eight crore LPG connections under Ujjawala Yojana, seven months before the deadline, reports Financial Express.

The central government had set March 2020 as the deadline to complete the distribution of eight crore LPG connections. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana aims to provide clean cooking fuel to poor households and replace the unhealthy conventional cooking fuels such as firewood, cowdung, etc. The use of LPG has its benefits on the health of women and children, environment and economic productivity of women.

The official website of PMUY says the scheme has covered 715 districts of the country and 8,03,39,993 PMUY connections have been released so far. According to the PMUY website, states of Uttar Pradesh with 1.47 crore connections, West Bengal with 88 lakh connections, Bihar with 85 lakh connections, Madhya Pradesh with 71 lakh connections and Rajasthan with 63 lakh connections have topped the list with highest number of beneficiaries under the PMUY. Nearly 40 per cent of the beneficiaries belong to SC/ST categories. The implementation of PMUY has earned domestic as well as global appreciation at various Forums.

32,43,190 people from Tamilnadu have taken free LPG connections under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.

The PM addressed a state-level Mahila Saksham Melava or Empowered Women’s Meet of Self Help Groups, organized by Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Mission (UMED), in Aurangabad on September 6.

Addressing the gathering, the PM commended the empowered women present for their contribution towards empowering themselves and their communities through Self Help Groups.

The PM observed that Aurangabad Industrial City (AURIC) will become an important part of the Aurangabad town and an important industrial centre of the country in the near future. Aurangabad is an important segment of Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor as well, the PM added. The firms investing in AURIC will create a lot of jobs as well, said the PM.

Marking the ahead-of-date achievement of 8 crore LPG connections under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, the PM distributed LPG connections to five beneficiaries. Noting that this has been achieved seven months ahead of the target date, the PM observed that in Maharashtra alone, 44 lakh Ujjwala connections have been given. Saluting the colleagues who made this possible, the PM said that we were able to achieve it due to our concern for the health of women suffering from the smoke emanated by chullahs.

The PM added that not only were connections given, but a holistic infrastructure comprising 10,000 new LPG distributors, mostly in rural India, have been appointed. “New bottling plants have been built. Terminal capacity near ports has been increased and pipeline network has been widened. 5-kg cylinders are being promoted. Piped gas is also being delivered. We want to ensure that not a single household remains without LPG connection”, as reported by PIB.