Money collected for LPG connection under PMUY?
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 06 2022: Even though LPG connections are given free of cost to all the families listed in the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), some LPG distributors in cahoots with some local people have been collecting money and documents from many such families in the name of giving LPG connections.

Notably, PMUY was first launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 1, 2016 at Ballia, Uttar Pradesh with the primary objective enabling poor families switch to LPG from cow dung and firewood for cooking foods.

PMUY was launched with an all India target of providing five crore LPG connections to BPL households enrolled in SECC 2011 database.

The same scheme was introduced in Manipur on June 5, 2017.In the first year of launching PMUY, LPG connections were given to 1.5 crore households and the Central Government revised the scheme in 2019-20 with budget approval and the overall target of providing gas connections was increased to eight crore.

Under PMUY, the Central Government gives a financial assistance of Rs 1600 to each beneficiary.

This sum includes security deposit for 14.2 Kg LPG cylinder, pressure regulator, hose, Domestic Gas Consumer's Card (DGCC) and installation charge.

The costs of LPG refill and gas stove should be borne by the consumers.

They might either pay the amount in full or procure the particular items on loan.

After achieving the target of 8 crore connections, PMUY or Ujjwala 2.0 was announced during the Union budget of 2021-22 and the phase II of PMUY was launched on August 10 last year.

Even though beneficiaries had to pay for LPG refill and gas stove under phase I of PMUY, now beneficiaries need not spend a single rupee for LPG connection.

However, there are reports of collection of money by some LPG distributors in cahoots with local people in the name of providing LPG connections under PMUY in some parts of the State.

Some key members of the All Manipur Indane Distributors' Association (AMIDA) told The Sangai Express that beneficiaries need not pay a single rupee for LPG connection under Ujjwala 2.0.However, there are reports of collecting a substantial amount from beneficiaries by some LPG distributors in connivance with some local people in the name of giving LPG connections, they said.

The matter was discussed at a meeting of AMIDA held on August 4.Even after collection of documents and money, many of the beneficiaries have been given neither LPG connection documents nor equipment.

Strangely, many of the beneficiaries did not know the details of those men who collected money and documents from them or which LPG distributors they represented.

As such, the beneficiaries had no idea regarding where they should make enquiries.

Left with no other option, some of the beneficiaries made enquiries at their nearest LPG distributors.

On checking, their Aadhaar numbers were found to have linked with some LPG distributors, said the AMIDA functionaries.

As the beneficiaries identified the LPG distributors which should give them LPG connections, they went to these distributors but the distributors demanded extra money.

Given these circumstances, a large number of people who had submitted their Aadhaar cards along with some money are unlikely to get LPG connections any time soon although they are entitled to get LPG connections totally free of cost under Ujjwala 2.0, the AMIDA functionaries said.

They appealed to all eligible beneficiaries to go to their nearest LPG distributors and apply for LPG connection under PMUY without paying any money instead of entertaining people who come to their homes with the promise of giving LPG connections.

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