While over 18,000 free LPG connections have been issued under the Pradan Mantri Ujwala Yojana (PMUY) in the district so far, applications have been invited for issuance of connections under the scheme to below poverty line (BPL) households who do not have LPG connection.
Talking to reporters here, PMUY District Nodal Officer H.C. Krishna said that applications of below poverty line families have been called in the light of a recent decision of the Union government to extend the scheme to all poor families. Launched in May 2016, Mr. Krishna said, free LPG connections were first given to women listed in the Socio Economic Caste Census of 2011. The scheme was then extended to cover Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes households, beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), Antyodaya Anna Yojana, forest dwellers, Most Backward Classes, Tea and Ex-Tea Garden Tribes, and people residing in islands/river islands.
Till December 26 this year, Mr. Krishna said, 18,169 beneficiaries have been issued gas connections in Dakshina Kannada. Of this, 9,138 connections were provided by Hindustan Petroleum, 5,277 by Indian Oil Corporation and 3,754 connections by Bharat Petroleum. With 4,87,568 LPG connections, the coverage of domestic LPG in Dakshina Kannada was 97.14 %, he said.
Mr. Krishna said that below poverty line families that do not have LPG connections can submit their applications at a nearby LPG agency. The applicants should submit their Aadhaar card, bank account details and a self-declaration form, he said.