70% LPG Connection in Odisha By 2018

Bhubaneswar:  The Petroleum Ministry has set a target to release 30 lakh new LPG connections under Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana (PMUY) and 10 lakh under normal release (APL category) in Odisha by December 2018.

The ministry had decided to increase LPG penetration levels to 70% with a customer strength of more than 75 lakhs in Odisha by December 2018.

The LPG penetration levels have increased to more than 40% from 26% in last two years. The current national average is 64 %.

Chief LPG manager of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) and state nodal officer G Swaminathan here on Tuesday said Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) had conducted the PMUY programs in all the 314 blocks of the state.

A total of 320 programmes was organized which covered all the 314 blocks apart from functions in NACs,  municipalities among others, he added.

New connections were released in public functions across the state to educate and popularize the scheme and spread awareness among the intended beneficiaries, said a release.

These could be successfully conducted in spite of disruptions in few blocks like Athagarh, Nimapada, Parlekhamudi and some blocks of Nawrangpur, Ganjam and Malkangiri districts when OMCs had to request concerned agencies and police protection to ensure the conduct of programs.

LPG is a source of clean fuel to millions of poor households in the country and an effective tool for empowering women from poor households and for bringing about social change, the release added.

During these programs about 15000 new LPG connections under the scheme were issued at the venue itself in the august presence of more than 55000 people. In Odisha, OMCs have released 2,01,344 new LPG connection under PMUY and have processed 3,47,478 New LPG connections under the scheme for release.

It said that OMCs are fully geared up to achieve the set objective as per the vision of Government Of India.

It has been planned to conduct PMUY functions closer to the beneficiaries to educate the general public about the scheme as well as safe usage of LPG with the involvement of OMC officials, the release added.