With the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), approx 1 lakh people have got employment through the LPG distribution system. The LPG coverage has increased from 61.9 % to near saturation level in last five years. As part of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package, more than 14 crore free LPG refills were provided to the PMUY beneficiaries during COVID-19. Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Rameshwar Teli shared this information with the participants while addressing the post budget webinar organized to accelerate development and make public welfare schemes effective. The webinar was attended by Shri Pankaj Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, team of social media, representatives from oil marketing companies, distributors and cylinder manufacturers.
Secretary, Ministry Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Pankaj Jain said that there is a need to make coordinated efforts to take Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana door-to-door. He said that to make the scheme effective, special attention should be given to include self-help groups, creation of LPG Bank to serve as micro-finance for refills, to establish the network of micro distributors, along with leveraging existing social network and institutional knowledge to attract consumers for refill..
Ms. Nidhi Prabha Tiwari , a social development professional working in rural sector said that the loan arrangement for cylinder refill was started in Betul and after that the number of customers who got refill started increasing. She informed that women empowerment is getting a boost through the Ujjwala scheme. Shri Rakesh Misri, Director (Marketing), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited informed that under the GiveItUp initiative, more than 1 crore people themselves gave up the subsidy on LPG, which benefited the needy people. Prime Minister LPG Panchayats were organized to take the Ujjwala scheme door to door. Shri Santosh Kumar, Executive Director (LPG), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited informed that before the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, LPG connection was considered an urban product, a cooking fuel for the people living in cities and towns, but through the Ujjwala scheme, this facility is easily available to the poor people living in the villages as well. He also said that concept of micro distributors may be explored to meet the immediate demand of the beneficiaries of the scheme.
Shri Manvender Singh of Bhiwadi Cylinder Manufacturing Company said that due to increase in demand due to Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, the company is getting the best cylinders manufactured keeping in mind the safety standards, as well as supplying raw materials and regular checking of cylinders to many people. Shri Swatantra Kumar, a distributor of Uttar Pradesh said that before the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana his agency had 2000 connections, which has now reached to 12,500 and out of which 7,500 connections have been allotted under the Ujjwala scheme.
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YB/RKM
