Cooking gas: On Navaratri, 25 lakh new free Ujjwala LPG connections, says Puri
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: After reducing the GST rates on most items, the Centre announced on Monday, the first day of Navaratri, that it would provide 25 lakh new LPG connections under the PM Ujjwala Yojana, the media reported.
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, on Monday, announced that the Centre will distribute 2.5 million free LPG connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) on the occasion of Navratri. This will take the total number of LPG connections to 106 million.
“Expansion of Ujjwala Families. A Great Gift to Women’s Power! With the auspicious beginning of Navratri, the gift of 2.5 million new free PM Ujjwala connections is yet another proof that PM Narendra Modi ji honours women just like Goddess Durga ji. This decision further strengthens our resolve for the respect and empowerment of mothers and sisters,” Puri wrote on X.
“Now, the number of Ujjwala family members will increase to 106 million. The Government of India will spend Rs 2,050 on each connection, so that beneficiaries can get free LPG cylinders along with gas stoves, regulators, etc., for free.”
“The Ujjwala scheme, emerging as one of the most impactful social welfare programs in India, is a living example of respect and empowerment for women. The Ujjwala scheme has not only brightened kitchens but also illuminated the future of entire families, mothers, and sisters. It is not just a scheme; it has become a torch of a massive revolution in the country, whose flame has reached every corner of the nation, even remote areas.”
“Currently, with the Modi government’s Rs 300 subsidy, gas cylinders for over 10.33 crore Ujjwala families are refilled for just Rs 553. This price is even lower than in many LPG-producing countries around the world,” his X post added.
Launched in May 2016, the PMUY aims to provide deposit-free LPG connections to adult women from poor households across the country.
All PMUY beneficiaries receive a deposit-free LPG connection, which includes a Security Deposit (SD) for the Cylinder, Pressure Regulator, Suraksha Hose, Domestic Gas Consumer Card (DGCC) booklet and installation charges. As per the existing modalities of Ujjwala 2.0, the first refill and stove are also provided free of cost to all beneficiaries.
