25L free LPG connections to be given in two years

In order to pull more people out of unhealthy cooking practices the State Government has gone on expanding the number of beneficiaries of the Ujjwala scheme to be targeted during current and next financial year.

The Cabinet in its meeting on Tuesday raised the number of households from 7.42 lakh in 2017-18 to 13.5 lakh in 2018-19 and another 12 lakh during the subsequent year while sanctioning Rs 422 crore to meet the expanses coming on it.

“The Cabinet for the year 2018-19 and 2019-20 has revised the list of households to be given free LPG gas connections under the Ujjwala scheme along with free gas stove and first refill. 13.5 lakh and 12 lakh households respectively would be benefited out of this. At the same time Rs 224 crore and Rs 198 crore for the two years have been allocated for the purpose,” said Cabinet Secretary SKG Rahate.

The Centrally sponsored scheme has been supplemented with oven and first gas cylinder free of cost from the State Government to make the scheme more acceptable to the section of people figuring into the list of beneficiaries.

Families falling into the BPL list as per the Socio-economic and caste census, Scheduled Caste and Tribes, beneficiaries covered under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (rural) and antyodaya scheme, forest dwellers, most backward classes and those residing on islands or river islands have been declared eligible for taking the benefits as per the new guidelines set by the Center.    

Following the Center coming out with the free LPG connection scheme provisions of Rs 62.37 crore for 347240 households in 2016-17 and Rs 123 crore for 742824 households in 2017-18 were made on its part from the State Government for providing attached stove and refill.

Besides, the Cabinet modified the conditions laid under the Jharkhand Industrial Policy, 2012 under which incentives are provided to Tata Motors for necessary purchases made for its uses, modernisation and expansion from local vendors.

“The April 2016 notification made in this regard has been amended. Now the deadline of March 31, 2016 to make at least 60 per cent purchases from local vendors of the State has been extended to March 2018 while for taking it to 70 per cent purchases, the new deadline would be March 31, 2019 instead of March 31, 2017,” added Rahate.

The Cabinet at the same time has decided extend benefits of the 7th pay commission to the outsourced and coterminous personal staffs attached with the Chief Minister, ex-Chief Ministers and Ministers from the effect of January 1, 2016.