Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Sept 30: BJP MLA from Kathua, Rajiv Jasrotia distributed LPG stoves under the scheme titled “Ujjwala Yojana’ here, today.
Speaking on the occasion, MLA said that in India, the poor have limited access to cooking gas (LPG). The spread of LPG cylinders has been predominantly in the urban and semi-urban areas with the coverage mostly in middle class and affluent households. But there are serious health hazards associated with cooking based on fossil fuels, he added.
Providing LPG connections to BPL households will ensure universal coverage of cooking gas in the country, he said. This measure will empower women and protect their health. It will reduce drudgery and the time spent on cooking. It will also provide employment for rural youth in the supply chain of cooking gas, he added.
He said while the selection of beneficiaries would be from the BPL families only, preference would be given to SC/ST and weaker sections of society. While providing the new connections to BPL households, priority would be given to the States which have lower LPG coverage compared to the national average. Release of LPG connection under this Scheme shall be in the name of the women belonging to the BPL family, he maintained.
MLA further said that the Scheme provides a financial support of Rs 1600 for each LPG connection to the BPL households. The administrative cost of Rs. 1600 per connection, which includes a cylinder, pressure regulator, booklet, safety hose, etc. would be borne by the Government. A woman of the BPL household, which does not have access to LPG connection may apply for a new LPG connection (in the prescribed format) to the LPG distributor. While submitting the application form, the woman will submit details, like address, Jandhan/ Bank Account and Aadhar number (if the Aadhar number is not available, steps would be taken in coordination with UIDAI for issue of Aadhar number to the woman of BPL household, he remarked.
Quoting the WHO data, he said as many as 5 lakh women die in the country due to non-communicable diseases, primarily caused by smoke emanating from their kitchens which use either kerosene stoves or cow dung cakes or firewood as cooking fuel, which is as good as smoke form 400 cigarettes.
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