(The Pioneer)
In Odisha, a total 35.36 lakh of beneficiaries have been provided with LPG connection under the PMUY till December 24. This was revealed in a Press meet organised by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). Pritish Bharat, SLC (Odisha) for MoPNG and CGM I/C, IOCL, Dharmendra Behura, DGM (LPG), HPCL, Odisha, Sanjay Sharma, State Head (LPG), BPCL-Odisha and Jharkhand, Sanjay Kumar Jha, GM (LPG), IOCL, Odisha were present.
They said the PMUY is a revolution which has removed smoke from the kitchens of the poor households in the country. The scheme has resulted in mass coverage of rural poor households. Odisha has covered 74.20 lakh of households with LPG as cooking fuel and State LPG coverage stands at 69.4% by now as against earlier coverage of 20% in 2016. Significantly, 80.2% beneficiaries under Ujjwala scheme, who could not afford to make upfront payment for purchase of gas stove and first refill, were provided loan facility by the OMCs. The scheme has catered to socio-economically weaker society including around 52% beneficiaries from SC/ST category.
