August 07, 2017: Even though Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna (PMUY) was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 1, 2016 at Ballia in Uttar Pradesh, Dharmendra Pradhan today formally launched the Yojna in Tripura at a programme held at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhawan in Agartala in presence of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Finance Minister of Tripura, Bhanulal Saha, Joint Secretary of the Oil Ministry Ashutosh Jindal, Director (Marketing) of Indian Oil B S Canth. In a symbolic launch of the PMUY in Tripura, Pradhan handed over connections under the Yojna to 20 beneficiaries from ‘Below Poverty Line’ (BPL) families and Bhanulal Saha.
He also laid the foundation stone for a 60 TMTPA capacity new bottling plant located at Bodhjung Nagar Industrial Park in Khayerpur under West Tripura District. The plant will be setup at an estimated cost of Rs.143 Crores over a 40-acre of land.
PMUY scheme provides assistance of Rs. 1600/- to the woman beneficiary, comprising security deposit of 14.2 Kg cylinder and domestic pressure regulator; suraksha hose; domestic gas consumer card and installation charges. In addition to this, the beneficiary will have the choice to avail EMI option to pay the cost of LPG Stove or first Installation or both. Cost of LPG Stove or availing loan on Refill or both will be recovered on EMI basis by the OMC from the subsidy amount due to the customer on purchase of each refill.
Launching PMUY, Pradhan said, 49 per cent households which accounts to around 4 lakh 50 thousand in the State have LPG connections while the national average is more than 75 per cent. Many families are unable to bear the cost of getting a connection. That is why PMUY has launched which aims at providing LPG connections in the State to more than 80 per cent household within 2019. “On behalf of PM Modi, launching PMUY is a gift to people Tripura on the occasion of Rakhsha Bandhan”, he said and focused upon benefits of clean cooking gas and Ujjwala Yojna.
On upcoming new bottling plant at Bodhjung Nagar Industrial Park, Pradhan said, “This new plant will increase the LPG Bottling Capacity of Tripura from 21 TMTPA to 60 TMTPA and thus will be able to cater to the rising demand of LPG in the state”, Pradhan said. Further, Capacity Silchar Bottling Plant will be increased by 60 TMTPA. Referring to the Indian Oil Bottling Plant at Bishalgarh which currently is meeting around one third of State’s LPG demand, Pradhan mentioned that the newly proposed Bottling plant at Budhjong Nagar would be able to plug the gap between supply and demand in the state.
Agreeing with the problem mentioned by Minister Bhanulal Saha relating to ‘regular scarcity’ of petro products – petrol, diesel and gas – Pradhan mentioned the Government of India is setting up an energy cooperation network with neighbouring Bangladesh. “Through diplomatic channels, India has already started discussion with Bangladesh to lay gas pipe lines and diesel, LPG and other petroleum products would be ferried through the proposed pipelines. As the mountainous northeastern states are landslide prone and carrying of petroleum products in the region is a big problem, the proposed pipelines would be a great help for the area”, Pradhan commented.
To mitigate the fuel crisis as well as to create earning opportunities, he asked the officials of the Oil companies to issue necessary advertisement for setting up 40 new LPG outlets and 40 petrol pumps. “The additional LPG outlets and petrol pumps will not only ease the existing pressure, but the move will generate employment for the youths of the State”, he said.
