NEW DELHI: LPG coverage has risen from 55 per cent of households in 2014 to 90 per cent, an increase of 63 per cent, primarily on the back of rapid rollout of ‘Ujjwala’ — one of the Narendra Modi government’s flagship energy plans for changing the quality of life of the poor.Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday handed over papers for connection number 6 crore under the scheme to Jasmina Khatoon from Shiv Park in Delhi’s Khanpur area, crossing another milestone in the scheme. Ever since the PM launched the scheme on May 1, 2016 at Ballia in UP, it has continued to cross milestones ahead of schedule. Government data show 45 per cent of beneficiaries come from SC/ST and other economically weaker sections.
On Wednesday, petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan drove home the point that 13 crore connections were issued in the 50 years since LPG was introduced in India, while almost a similar number of connections, including those under general category, were issued in the last 54 months.
He said almost 80 per cent Ujjwala beneficiaries have been refilling the cylinders. The target was later raised to 8 crore connections by 2021 and now envisages giving all households a connection. The current average rate of booking refills is almost four cylinders a year.