BENGALURU: With shortage of gas cylinders’ supply from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s Anila Bhagya scheme for the poor is expected to face hurdles. The state government can provide gas cylinders for only 1.5 lakh families as against 16 lakh identified.
In May 2016, Pradhana Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched where people from BPL (Below Poverty Line) families would get free LPG gas connections.
This year, Siddaramaiah announced Mukhyamantri Anila Bhagya Yojane to supply free gas connections to BPL Card holders. Along with that, they even announced to give gas stoves with two burners free.
The State government will spend `4,040 per gas connection annually.In Karnataka, there are 24 lakh families which do not have domestic gas connections. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader said that of the 24 lakh, around eight lakh are covered by Union government’s Ujjwala scheme.
“We have 16 lakh families to be covered under our Anila yojana. We are expecting 10 lakh families to apply for the scheme. We have sufficient funds to give cylinders for 20 lakh families. But we are not getting required number of cylinders. We cannot manufacture these cylinders. It is the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas which has to supply gas cylinders. But they have told us it will be just 1.5 lakh gas connections for which they can supply gas cylinders,’’ he said.Khader said since gas connection is limited to 1.5 lakh families a month, they have decided to take it on priority basis.
“We will start with Scheduled Class, Scheduled Tribe and labour class families. For them we are launching in the first week of January. In the subsequent months, every month, 1.5 lakh connections will be added. With this, we are hoping to cover all the BPL Card holder families in next eight months,’’ he said.
Sources from Food and Civil Supplies Department said since gas connections come under Union Petroleum Ministry, the Union government seems to be delaying it purposely.
“The State government here announced gas connection scheme to give a counter to the Prime Minister Ujjwala scheme. Now that the state is going to Assembly election in the next few months, political parties, which are in power at the State and Centre, are playing politics over gas connection,’’ official from the department said.
LPG CONNECTION: POINTS TO BE NOTED
Applications will be issued online as well as at Gram Panchayat offices in rural
and ward offices in urban
Fill the application and submit along with Aadhaar number
Committee has been formed in every district where the respective district in-charge ministers will be the chairman
The Committee will approve based on the demand in each assembly constituency
The DCs concerned will issue the connection
Applicants enrolled under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana are not eligible