30 lakhs LPG connection provided under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana in West Bengal
With this achievement, the Oil Marketing Companies have fulfilled the annual target given to West Bengal after the scheme was launched in the state on Aug 14, 2016. 11.3 lakhs out of the total of 30 lakhs connections have been issued to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other economically underprivileged sections. This was informed by R.K. Mohapatra, Executive Director, Indian Oil and State Level Coordinator, West Bengal PMUY, here on Monday.
West Bengal was marked as a priority state because of low LPG penetration of 51.5 percent over here in comparison to the national average of 72 percent at the time of launching PMUY. The number of targeted beneficiaries in West Bengal is 1.06 crores which is to be achieved within the next two years.
Data of BPL women who are the targeted beneficiaries of PMUY has been collected from Socio-Economic-Caste Census 2011. Over the next two years, Government has given a target for 95 percent LPG penetration throughout the country.
Mohapatra, however, expressed concern about the poor level of cylinder refills in the state, which is just about 10-12 percent of the new consumers. This problem can be overcome by societal intervention and creating awareness amongst the BPL beneficiaries, feels the Executive Director.
“They have to be made aware that a LPG cylinder is much cheaper than procurement of other sources of fuel like firewood which also creates health hazards from harmful smoke. Government has taken initiative of deputing senior officials from OMCs to various districts and villages to interact with beneficiaries and stakeholders and create awareness about it”, he said.
Under PMUY, LPG connections are provided in the name of women members of households having a bank account and aadhaar number and thus aims to empower women. Currently, Uttar Pradesh is leading in terms of providing PMUY connections.
In connection with catering to West Bengal’s LPG requirement, Mohapatra stated that a new bottling plant of IOCL, having a capacity to shelve out 250 TMT per day, will be commissioned at Panagarh in March 2018.
Another bottling plant having an installed capacity of 120 TMT or 30000 cylinders per day, is expected to be commissioned in March 2019, he added.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
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