Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries in UP to get free gas cylinders on Holi

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said that the state government will once again provide free gas cylinders to the beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana on the occasion of Holi in March next year.

For this, the beneficiaries of the scheme need to link their bank accounts with Aadhaar.

Adityanath inaugurated the distribution campaign for free refills of cooking gas cylinders under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana for 1.75 crore eligible families in the state from the Lok Bhavan on Friday the occasion of Dhanteras.

The state government will spend Rs 2,312 crore on this campaign, it said in a statement.

Adityanath said, "Our government is fulfilling another announcement made in the 'Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra' during the Assembly elections-2022. Before 2014, people were not able to get gas connections. Even if a connection was available, they had to stand in long queues for cylinders."

He stated that there were numerous occasions when police were forced to resort to lathi-charges. Poor and disadvantaged individuals couldn't even think about getting a gas connection. Women had to face various illnesses due to the smoke, he added.

The UP chief minister highlighted that the Ujjwala scheme, initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016, successfully addressed the gas shortage issue in the country.

"Recently, Prime Minister Modi provided an additional subsidy of Rs 300 to LPG beneficiaries. Today, beneficiaries are receiving the subsidy directly in their accounts without any fraud or theft. Due to being linked to Aadhaar, the subsidy money is reaching their accounts directly," he added.

He also said that through the Ujjwala scheme, Prime Minister Modi has not only provided clean fuel in the form of LPG to the poor and marginalised sections, but has also contributed to protecting their eyes and lungs.

The CM added that with the subsidy provided by Prime Minister Modi, LPG has become the most economic fuel compared to kerosene, coal, and wood.

Adityanath also symbolically handed over the subsidy amount to 10 female beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana during the programme, the statement said.