Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali in presence of Minister for Industries and Commerce, Chander Parkash and Minister for Forest, Ecology & Environment, Ch. Lal Singh today launched ‘Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana’ at Samba.The programme was also attended by MLA Samba Dr Devinder Kumar Manyal, MLA Hiranagar Kuldeep Raj, DC Samba Sheetal Nanda, and SSP Samba Joginder Singh.PMUY envisages providing free LPG gas connections to Below Poverty Line (BPL) women with no security required for cylinder, Regulator and Pipe.Zulfkar while addressing the gathering emphasized upon the importance of the scheme as it provides clean fuel with reduction in health hazards caused due to cooking based on fossil fuel. He cited WHO study wherein it has been reported that there are 5 lakh respiratory deaths every year in India. He informed that the scheme specifically targets BPL families with Rs 4800 benefit being provided to each beneficiary. He also informed that 7500 gas connections are for immediate distribution at Samba and rest of the district would be covered within three years.
Responding to the public demand, Zulfkar informed that though PMUY identifies beneficiaries on the basis of 2011 census, a separate study would be taken up and supplementary list under PMUY PLUS would be formed and sent to central govt. for approval so that no entitled beneficiary is left out.Ch Lal Singh highlighted the saving of precious firewood with availability of LPG and thereby benefitting the environment. He reiterated that govt. is continuously working towards public welfare initiatives.The I&C Minister called for proper dissemination of information among the poor and villagers regarding various centrally and state sponsored welfare schemes. He asked the public to enroll themselves under ADHAAR based system to avail benefit of various govt. schemes.MLA Samba and Hiranagar also spoke on the occasion.The function was also attended by AD Legal Metrology Ajay Verma, Dy Managar HPCL Anis Jaqari, Sunil Digra, Hamid Bashir Bulbul and Afaq Majid Lone from Indian Oil Corporation.
Later at Kathua, Choudhary Zulfkar Ali and Choudhary Lal Singh formally launched the scheme and distributed 300 new LPG connections among the women beneficiaries.While addressing the participants the Minister said that Government has envisaged this scheme to provide women with a safe and clean provision of fuel for cooking.He appealed people who can afford unsubsidized LPG cylinder to voluntarily give up subsidy so that more such beneficiaries can be brought under the ambit of this scheme. He also threw light on scope and coverage of NFSA and MMSFES. He informed that government is going to open new ration depots to streamline ration distribution and avoid inconvenience to people.While speaking on the occasion Choudhary Lal Singh stressed on the need to sensitize the people about these welfare schemes and expand the outreach of the programme so that people can avail maximum benefit of these schemes.MLA Kathua, Rajiv Jasrotia also spoke on the occasion and highlighted various initiatives undertaken by the government for the welfare of common man.MLA Hiranagar Kuldeep Kumar, DDC Kathua Ramesh Kumar and other senior officers were present during the launch ceremony at Kathua.