West Bengal to get Rs 3,000-cr investments: Pradhan

PM Ujjwala Yojana to benefit 19.6 mn BPL households in the next 3 years, says Union minister

With the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) in West Bengal targetting to benefit 19.6 million below poverty line (BPL) households in the next three years, the state is going to witness an approximate investment of Rs 3,000 crore, creating 10,000 new jobs, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Sunday.

He said about six million liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) connections would be given under the programme in the state in the next two years.

"For which, there is a need for additional bottling capacity, new distributors and pipelines," the petroleum and natural gas minister said.

He said HPCL would be coming up with the largest bottling plant at Panagarh in the state, while other oil marketing companies Indian Oil Corporation and BPCL were also doing the same.

"Plans are there to have an LPG import terminal at Haldia and trunk pipelines for transportation," he said.

"All these would entail an investment of roughly Rs 3,000 crore," he said.

Under the PMUY scheme, women of 10.6 million BPL households in the state would get LPG connection at Rs 1,600 each and also avail of equated monthly instalment (EMI) scheme for purchase of ovens.