The new BJP government in Rajasthan on Wednesday announced the supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders to the beneficiaries of the Centre’s much-publicised Ujjwala Yojana at ₹450 each. The cylinder prices under the flagship scheme, launched in May 2016, had escalated last year to ₹1,150 each.
The previous Congress government in the State had launched a scheme earlier this year to give a subsidy of ₹650 to keep the cylinder’s price at ₹500. The government had identified the below poverty line (BPL) families connected with Ujjwala Yojana as a separate category, along with other BPL families getting themselves registered at inflation relief camps, for transfer of subsidy on the LPG cylinders.
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma announced at an event marking the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra in Tonk district that the State government would enhance the subsidy from January 1 and provide the LPG cylinders to Ujjwala Yojana’s beneficiaries at ₹450 each. “This was an important promise which we made in the [BJP] manifesto. We are fulfilling our promise today,” Mr. Sharma said.
The State government’s decision will benefit about 76 lakh BPL families, which will get the subsidy in their bank accounts. Mr. Sharma said the women cooking food at home would get relief with the availability of LPG cylinders at low prices. “It is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision that that last person sitting in the village must get the benefit of our government’s schemes,” he said.
Mr. Sharma also said the “double engine” BJP government was determined to uplift and empower the women. The “historic decision” was an instance of fulfilment of the guarantee, as stated by Mr. Modi, he added.
During the previous Congress regime, the then Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had approved a financial proposal of ₹750 crore for 2023-24 for providing the subsidy. The Congress had alleged during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, which crossed Rajasthan in December 2022, that Mr. Modi had “played a drama” in the name of Ujjwala Yojana for giving LPG connections to the poor, which had turned out to be an utter failure.
However, the BJP promised in its manifesto for the 2023 Assembly election that it would enhance the subsidy on LPG cylinders to make them cheaper by Rs.50 each. Following Wednesday’s decision, the BPL families registered with Ujjwala Yojana will get the subsidy for 12 cylinders in a year.
