One time grant for BPL families to avail New LPG Connections: Panabaka

New Delhi, April 26 : Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Panabaka Lakshmi informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply today that Government of India has formulated a scheme for providing one time grant to BPL families in the rural areas for release of new domestic LPG connection under Rajiv Gandhi Gramin LPG Vitaran Yojana (RGGLVY). As per the scheme, the security deposit for the domestic LPG cylinder and cost of pressure regulator is paid from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds of ONGC, OIL, GAIL, BPCL, HPCL and IOC.

Apart from the above, in the recent past, Delhi Government announced a scheme, ‘Kerosene Free Dilli” to make NCT of Delhi kerosene free. New domestic LPG connection is issued free of cost to the BPL/AAY & JRC card holders of Delhi getting kerosene supply. 50% o security deposit of LPG cylinder & pressure regulator is borne by Delhi Government and the remaining 50 per cent by the OMCs through the common CSR fund mentioned above for BPL/AAY.

Some State Governments have launched schemes to provide LPG connections to BPL families by various names and varying features inter-alia, Deepam in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu Free LPG scheme in Tamil Nadu, Grihalaxmi in Chhattisgarh, Vanbandhu in Gujarat, Antyodaya in Jharkhand, Tribal beneficiary Scheme in Maharashtra, Randhan Jyoti in Assam, Forest Scheme in Mizoram, Janta Mela in Sikkim, Mata Sabri Mahila Shashaktikaran in Himachal Pradesh, Pondicherry Govt. Free LPG connection and similar schemes in Uttaranchal, Goa and Madhya Pradesh.

Responding to a query regarding Madhya Pradesh, the Minister clarified that Government has not received any proposal from the State Government of Madhya Pradesh for providing free LPG connection to BPL families. However, there is a scheme of MP Government called Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana where, LPG connection is released to a girl of BPL family on getting married with State Government assistance. INN