In Ballia, the scheme has to reach to about 1.5 lakh people.
Highlights
- Many families in Ballia have been given gas cylinders under the scheme
- Five crore gas connections will be given for free to BPL families
- Political parties raise the issue of LPG cylinders in poll rallies
Two months ago, the busiest corner in Seema Devi's house in this UP village was the place where
chulha or the wooden stove was kept. It's in this part of her dwelling that she cooked at least three meals a day for her family of six using firewood and cowdung. But now things have changed for better.
In this village, about 10 kms from eastern UP's Ballia town, the likes of Seema Devi have got free gas connections in May this year under the central government's Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.
Under the scheme, five crore gas connections will be given free of cost to BPL families during the period of three years.
Seema Devi was given a free gas connection at an event in Ballia. "I used to make food on a
chulha, was always scared that my children could get hurt but now because of the gas connection there is no problem," she said.
Seema said she has already got two refills for her cylinder, each for subsidised fee of Rs 450.
In Ballia, the scheme has to reach to about 1.5 lakh people. So far, the district's 40 gas agencies have processed about 40,000 applications.
The scheme has been launched in a total of seven states including Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
Opposition claims that this is all about politics, especially in Uttar Pradesh where election are due early next year.
Meanwhile, politics over gas cylinders is something the BJP hasn't shied away from, especially in eastern UP that has about one third of assembly seats.
BJP sources say the logic for launching the scheme out of Ballia was that the district has most number of families below poverty line and it also borders Bihar.
At a rally in the adjoining Mau district on Saturday, BJP chief Amit Shah made it clear that free cylinders for the poor would be a poll plank.
"We have given gas cylinders to over 4 lakh people. We are going to spread it across the country. PM Modi wants that poor mother's shouldn't have to face lung problems while cooking on
chulhas," he said.
BJP's main opponent in UP, Samajwadi Party has also raised the issue of gas cylinders during their poll rallies.
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, at a rally in Ballia, said: "If Modi has given gas, we will give money for refills through the Samajwadi pension scheme."