Gujarat: LPG scheme launched from Patidar village

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. (PTI/File Photo)

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday launched the nationwide LPG panchayat scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) from a Patidar-dominated village in poll-bound Gujarat by handing over LPG connection to the 30 millionth beneficiary: Kokilaben Parmar. Pradhan said, “One lakh LPG panchayats will be organised across the country to tell women the advantages of LPG…. I thank the Gujarat chief minister for taking out the time and coming for the nationwide launch of PMUY LPG Panchayat.”

Members of the Patidar community, who donated more than Rs 9.2 crore for building various infrastructure facilities in the village like hospital, concrete internal roads, toilets, park and temple were felicitated at the event. Addressing the villagers who had gathered at new primary school for the event, Pradhan said, “I am honoured to be here in this village in Gujarat for giving LPG connection to the 30 millionth beneficiary.” He said that 40 per cent of connections given under PMUY were to Dalits and Adivasi households.

“Only 14 crore houses were given LPG connections until 2014, and in Gujarat only 61 lakh houses had LPG…. However after Modiji came to power, 8.5 crore LPG connections were added in just three years which includes 22 lakh LPG connections added in Gujarat,” the Union minister said.

“LPG will increase employment in Gujarat… There were only 638 LPG distributors in the state. In the last three years we have added 106 new distributors and advertised to open 319 new distributing agencies,” the minister said, adding that one distributor provides job to a dozen people. Asked whether the upcoming state elections and the government facing protests from the Patidar community were a reason for selecting a Patidar-dominated village for the launch, Sanjeev Jain, state-level coordinator for oil industry said, “It is completely the prerogative of the government to pick a venue for launch.”