1.5 crore target for new LPG connections achieved by government

1.5 crore target for new LPG connections achieved by government NEW DELHI: The Government has achieved its target of providing 1.5 crore free cooking gas (LPG) connections to poor households in less than 8 months, according to an official statement. On Thursday, the Ministry said that the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUJ) scheme, aimed at providing 5 crore free LPG connections 

to BPL families in three years, has achieved its first phase target of 1.5 crore. The scheme was announced in the Budget for 2016-17 with an allocation of Rs 8,000 crore for three years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched PMUJ on May 1 from Balia in Uttar Pradesh.

The first year target had been “achieved within a span of less than 8 months and the scheme is being implemented now across 35 states/UTs,” it said. A woman member of a BPL family identified through Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) data is given a deposit free LPG connection and financial assistance of Rs 1,600 .

The top states with maximum connections are Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.