Hope to increase LPG connectivity to 95 per cent by 2019: Dharmendra Pradhan

At the three-year mark of Prime Minister Narendra MSIMONTINI BHATTACHARJEE

New Delhi: At the three-year mark of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governance, one of his most successful flagship projects- Ujjwala Yojana, also completed one year this Friday, May 5.

Aiming to increase LPG connections from 72.84 per cent(2017-2018) to 95.49 per cent in 2019, the Union Minister of State(I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan, pledged to bring about more transparency and public participation in LPG distributions, by organising the Ujjwala Mela. To allow further participation in the flagship scheme by involving beneficiaries, elected representatives, distinguished personalities, local administration etc, the minister said, "Around 1 lakh Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Mela(s) have been organized in every corner of the country and 86% LPG connections have been provided to the BPL enrolled families."

Pradhan also mentioned that his ministry was able to provide 2.20 crore LPG connections in the last financial year (2016-'17) out of a target of providing 5 crore such facilities in 3 years to BPL families. "PMUY has become a social movement with beneficiaries coming forward in large numbers to apply and get cylinders installed," he added.

Further, the minister said, "38% of beneficiaries under PMUY are from SC and ST Category." To popularise the scheme and educate beneficiaries on safety norms, the government has appointed District Nodal Officers (DNOs) in every mela to assist women in filing application forms, where they can receive an immediate connection from the counter without paying money to agents.

The government officials and other stakeholders have frequented various places as DNOs, and the minister himself is scheduled to visit soon.

Apart from Ujjwala Melas the ministry has also been monitoring the scheme through 360-degree engagement with both audio and visual advertisements accessible in regional languages.

The Minister also added, stating, "Total LPG Consumer base has increased to over 20 crore in 2017 from 14 crore in 2014, with over 10% growth in LPG demand."

Pradhan also highlighted the efforts made by the Ministry and OMCs by the use of Digital Governance in the execution of the PMUY Scheme. Initiatives such as, digitally-aided identification and selection of beneficiaries of Ujjwala, digital filing of KYC of Ujjwala beneficiaries, transfer of subsidy to all PAHAL beneficiaries digitally without human interference, everyday monitoring of Ujjwala implementation using IT-enabled dashboard, identification of new locations to set up LPG distributorships through use of digital mapping, and, online application and online draws have been carried out by the Ministry and Oil Marketing Companies for successful execution of this scheme.

While addressing the media here, at the National Media Center, on key features of the implementation of the PMUY, the minister also said that, "85% of the new consumers have come back for a refill." Further, he assured that the government in future will try to fix the refilling centres 7-10 km from consumer clusters.odi's governance, one of his most successful flagship projects- Ujjwala Yojana, also completed one year this Friday, May 5.

Aiming to increase LPG connections from 72.84 per cent(2017-2018) to 95.49 per cent in 2019, the Union Minister of State(I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan, pledged to bring about more transparency and public participation in LPG distributions, by organising the Ujjwala Mela. To allow further participation in the flagship scheme by involving beneficiaries, elected representatives, distinguished personalities, local administration etc, the minister said, "Around 1 lakh Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Mela(s) have been organized in every corner of the country and 86% LPG connections have been provided to the BPL enrolled families."

transparency and public participation in LPG distributions, by organising the Ujjwala Mela. To allow further participation in the flagship scheme by involving beneficiaries, elected representatives, distinguished personalities, local administration etc, the minister said, "Around 1 lakh Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Mela(s) have been organized in every corner of the country and 86% LPG connections have been provided to the BPL enrolled families."

local administration etc, the minister said, "Around 1 lakh Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Mela(s) have been organized in every corner of the country and 86% LPG connections have been provided to the BPL enrolled families."

bout more transparency and public participation in LPG distributions, by organising the Ujjwala Mela. To allow further participation in the flagship scheme by involving beneficiaries, elected representatives, distinguished personalities, local administration etc, the minister said, "Around 1 lakh Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Mela(s) have been organized in every corner of the country and 86% LPG connections have been provided to the BPL enrolled families."

Pradhan also mentioned that his ministry was able to provide 2.20 crore LPG connections in the last financial year (2016-'17) out of a target of providing 5 crore such facilities in 3 years to BPL families. "PMUY has become a social movement with beneficiaries coming forward in large numbers to apply and get cylinders installed," he added.

Further, the minister said, "38% of beneficiaries under PMUY are from SC and ST Category." To popularise the scheme and educate beneficiaries on safety norms, the government has appointed District Nodal Officers (DNOs) in every mela to assist women in filing application forms, where they can receive an immediate connection from the counter without paying money to agents.

The government officials and other stakeholders have frequented various places as DNOs, and the minister himself is scheduled to visit soon.

Apart from Ujjwala Melas the ministry has also been monitoring the scheme through 360-degree engagement with both audio and visual advertisements accessible in regional languages.

The Minister also added, stating, "Total LPG Consumer base has increased to over 20 crore in 2017 from 14 crore in 2014, with over 10% growth in LPG demand."

Pradhan also highlighted the efforts made by the Ministry and OMCs by the use of Digital Governance in the execution of the PMUY Scheme. Initiatives such as, digitally-aided identification and selection of beneficiaries of Ujjwala, digital filing of KYC of Ujjwala beneficiaries, transfer of subsidy to all PAHAL beneficiaries digitally without human interference, everyday monitoring of Ujjwala implementation using IT-enabled dashboard, identification of new locations to set up LPG distributorships through use of digital mapping, and, online application and online draws have been carried out by the Ministry and Oil Marketing Companies for successful execution of this scheme.

identification of new locations to set up LPG distributorships through use of digital mapping, and, online application and online draws have been carried out by the Ministry and Oil Marketing Companies for successful execution of this scheme.

While addressing the media here, at the National Media Center, on key features of the implementation of the PMUY, the minister also said that, "85% of the new consumers have come back for a refill." Further, he assured that the government in future will try to fix the refilling centres 7-10 km from consumer clusters.