IMPHAL, May 30: Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), designed to reduce the emission of harmful gases from using wood, straws, dried cow dungs, charcoal for cooking purposes by households, will be launched in the State on June 5.
Under the PMUY scheme, free LPG connection would be provided to women of the below poverty line households as categorised by the 2011 Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC).
Around 100 million households still use wood, straws, dried cow dungs and other unclean fuel for cooking purposes and the fumes and gases emitted by these fuel result in various health complications like eye irritation, lung corrosion and even lung cancer due to the presence of carcinogens.
Women and children are often at high risk as they are regularly exposed to these gases and it is estimated that inhaling these gases for one hour is comparable to smoking 400 cigarettes.
The PMUY scheme aims to address these issues and health hazard by providing free LPG connections to those BPL households.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched PMUY scheme on May 1, 2016 at Ballia in Uttar Pradesh. For the North East States, it was first launched at Assam on May 13 this year. PMUY scheme would be launched tomorrow for Nagaland while it will be launched on June 1 for Arunachal Pradesh. There are 2.36 lakhs BPL households in Manipur according to the 2011 SECC and free LPG connection would be provided to one woman ( 18-60 years) of each of these households.
A budgetary support of Rs 1600 would also be provided along with the free LPG connection and other necessary material. Aadhaar card, bank account details and BPL or ration cards are mandatory for the women to be eligible for the PMUY scheme. To ensure smooth operation and success of the scheme, the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has already distributed the list of BPL households of the State to its LPG distributors.
Interested parties can approach their nearest LPG distributors and check the 2011 SECC list as those included in the list are eligible for the benefits under the PMUY scheme.
The DoNER Minister will provide on-the-spot free LPG connections for 30 beneficiaries during the launching ceremony of the PMUY scheme on June 5.
Source: The Sangai Express
