Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurates PM LPG Panchayat in Gujarat

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday inaugurated the Pradhan Mantri LPG Panchayat as a backup to the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana in Gandhinagar.

In view of rural women's welfare, the scheme is aimed at providing LPG gas cylinders to country's village households and replacing the conventional fuel for domestic purposes.

Speaking on the occasion, Pradhan said that five lakh women in India die every year due to the gas emitted from domestic fuel.

"The government is dedicated towards the women of our country," Pradhan addressed the women in the audience, and said that it has taken up the responsibility to save the five lakh women.

"LPG will be provided in Gujarat to those who lack the means, and additionally employment will also be increases through LPG ," Pradhan added.

In a media interaction after the event, Pradhan also took a shot at the former United Progressive Alliance (UPA)-led government, accused it for not providing enough LPG in their 60 years of rule

"In their 60 years of rule, they could only give LPG access to 14 core people, but in Modi ji's mere three and half years of rule, we have given LPG to more than eight crore people," Pradhan told media.

The Petroleum minister also addressed the recent hike in oil prices, and accounted it to the storm in American continent.

"Due to the storm in America, world's 13% refinery capacity has reduced," Pradhan said.