Free LPG connections for BPL families

Tribune News Service

Solan, April 20

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda on Friday said as many as 3.60 crore free LPG connections and cooktops had been distributed among women belonging to the BPL category under the Ujjwala Yojana.

Addressing a gathering at Banvirpur village in Baddi, Nadda said the Centrally sponsored scheme, which was started from Balia village of Uttar Pradesh in May 2016, would benefit 8 crore BPL families.

He said as many as 32,000 families in Himachal had been provided free LPG connections so far. The BJP believed in working for the people, and not indulging in political gimmicks, as was being done by the previous Congress government.

“The scheme aims at encouraging the use of environment friendly and clean fuel in place of harmful and polluting substitutes. The Centre has set aside funds worth Rs 8,000 crore for the implementation of the scheme and it has helped in empowering the rural women,’’ said Nadda.

Throwing light on other welfare initiatives, the minister said the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan was under way from April 14 to May 5 under which those residing in rural areas were being apprised of various welfare schemes being executed by the Central Government. He said 21,000 backward villages across the nation had been identified where efforts would be made to develop them by bringing them under the ambit of various development schemes. In Himachal, 93 such villages had been identified and two villages — Salogra and Man — were in Solan district.

He said as many as 115 districts had been identified as backward districts for undertaking their planned development and though no district in Himachal fell under this criteria, Chamba had been chosen from the developmental point of view.

He urged the people to avail the benefits of various schemes. Work to set up a trauma centre in Nalagarh would begin soon. “I will take up the issue of constructing a check dam and primary health centre at Banvirpur with the state government,” Nadda said.

As many as 155 beneficiaries were distributed free LPG connections. Dr Rajiv Saizal, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, also spoke on the occasion. Others present included local MLA Paramjeet Singh and BJP leaders.