Minister for Forest, Environment and Ecology, Choudhary Lal Singh today urged people to avail benefits of various developmental schemes initiated by State as well as Union Governments to improve the socio-economic status of people living in Jammu and Kashmir.The Minister said this while addressing a public grievance camp held here at Kathua today.Highlighting initiatives taken by present dispensation, Choudhary Lal Singh said the State and Union Governments have put in great efforts to ease out the life of people by providing amenities and services in fair and transparent manner. He said initiative like Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) is a step to provide a clean fuel to people living below poverty line (BPL) by providing them with free LPG connections.The Minister said that the initiative is in line with creating smokeless villages across the State. He said availing the benefits under PMUY provides us smoke-free, convenient and healthy environment which tunes in with the aim of the scheme to improve the health of women, especially belonging to BPL families. He added that the Government has set the target of providing 100 percent LPG connection in every home by 2020 under the scheme.
On the occasion Mr. Singh also gave away free LPG connection documents to 30 eligible women from the different panchayats.Giving a brief about UJALA scheme, the Minister said Government also launched UJALA across the State, and under the scheme it provides LED bulbs to the consumers at subsidized rates. He said under the scheme consumers can purchase upto five LED bulbs at a rate of Rs 20 each just by showing their electricity bill or their identity cards. He added it has greatly helped in bringing down the power bills of the beneficiaries.On the occasion deputations from different part of the constituency met the minister who apprised him with their problems. The minister gave on spot directions to the officers to mitigate the projected problems in time bound manner.