Bhubaneswar, Sept 6: ‘Odisha will reach a LPG penetration of minimum 70 % with a customer strength of more than 75 lakhs by December 2018.To achieve this he has set a target of release of 30 lakhs new LPG Connections under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana and another 10 lakhs under normal release (APL Category) by December 2018’, Said State nodal officer G Swaminathan here today.
Answering to Pressmen, Swaminathan informed, Oil Marketing Companies 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 general public about the scheme as well as safe usage of LPG with involvement of OMC officials .The insurance is also part of these LPG connections. During these programs, video on importance of conversion to cleaner fuels and safe handling of LPG will be shown and safety leaflets distributed among the participants. OMCs would welcome positive contributions from all citizens with the motto of serving the needy.
He further informed that it is proposed to distribute new LPG Connections only during such functions as the beneficiaries will be explained the proper and safe usage of LPG. Moreover such distribution brings transparency in the system. Sri Dharmendra Pradhan ,Honble MOS(I/c),P & NG has categorically conveyed that OMCs & the LPG distributor should ensure that there are no agents & middlemen operating and the beneficiary and the OMCs/Distributor should have a direct Customer relationship. OMCs have taken steps to publicise the same apart from conveying the message during the LPG Connection release functions.
PMUY is a transformational scheme for social change and the conversion to LPG is aimed at empowering women, not profits. LPG is a source of clean fuel for poor families and an effective tool for enabling social change.
OMCs would request active support from one and all to ensure that the women of Odisha are benefited from the scheme and a change in both their lifestyle and health leads to real empowerment of women.
