BHUBANESWAR: The women’s wing of the ruling BJD on Thursday staged a demonstration in front of the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) office here protesting the rise in price of cooking gas.
Activists of Biju Mahila Janata Dal (BMJD) led by president and former minister Pramila Mallik criticised the Centre for increasing the price of cooking gas for at least 22 times since the BJP-led NDA Government came to power in 2014. The activists shouted slogans against the NDA Government by holding placards.
Stating that Ujjwala Yojana was a total failure in the State, Mallik alleged that beneficiaries who have got LPG connections under the scheme are not able to refill their cylinders. She claimed that the beneficiaries were selected by BJP leaders.
Alleging that there has been large-scale irregularities under the scheme, Mallik said LPG connections have been given to ghost beneficiaries.Meanwhile, IOCL in a statement maintained that Ujjwala scheme has been well accepted by the people of Odisha. While the number of beneficiaries in the State by March, 2018 was 23 lakh, the number has increased to 34 lakh by now. Of the 23 lakh beneficiaries, 16 lakh have refilled their cylinder in June-July and August 2018, it said.