BPL families in Kohima find grace in free LPG

Kohima, April 20 (EMN): A part of commemorating the National Ujjwala Diwas scheme, Seyie Gas Agency in Kohima distributed on April 20 a set of new LPG connections free to 30 from the Below Poverty Line and SC / ST families in and around Kohima at the D Block Panchayat Hall.

Speaking during the occasion, the proprietor of the agency, Kuolachalie Seyie, said a full set of new LPG connection was being distributed in accordance to guidelines. The aim is to empower women and ‘improve their health by easing the burden of cooking on firewood.’

The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana is a scheme of the ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas for providing LPG connections to women from Below Poverty Line (BPL) households. The scheme envisaged that providing LPG connections to BPL households would ensure universal coverage of cooking gas in the country. It aimed at empowering women and also protecting their health, besides an effort towards making the country smokeless.

To avail the scheme, Seyie informed that the beneficiaries must have to submit Aadhaar details, residential proof, and an income certificate, besides an SC/ST certificate.

While the selection of beneficiaries would be from BPL families only, he said preference would be given to the SC/ST and weaker sections of te society.

The manager of Seyie Gas Agency, Kezieno, said about five lakh deaths were reported in India alone due to unclean cooking fuels. He stated that most of these premature deaths were due to non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. According to experts, having an open fire in the kitchen is like burning 400 cigarettes an hour, she said.

Also speaking on the occasion, president of Angamimiapfü Mechü Krotho (AMK) Kevinourheno Seyie said that the scheme had given an opportunity to ‘women working in the kitchen to stop the use of firewood, which is a major cause of deforestation and also impacting Climate Change.’ She urged women to come forward and avail the benefits.

Thepfulhousa Shüya demonstrated safe operation of LPG at home during the event. Later, the beneficiaries were also given highlights about the requirements and procedures to availing the scheme.

Elsewhere, as part of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), an ‘LPG Panchayat’ was launched at Jalukie ‘B’ village in Peren district and Longleng town on April 20.

In Jalukie, LPG connections were given to five PMUY beneficiaries which would allow six times free refilling.

According the DIPR’s updates, additional deputy commissioner of Peren, Chubawati Chang said that the Gram Swaraj programme itself had ‘the spirit of social harmony which everyone craved and that the government had made it a reality.’

Chang urged the villagers to be careful when filling in the forms for the scheduled tribe certificate, indigenous certificate, and bank account. This is to comply with norms for one to avail government schemes. He has requested the gas agencies to speed up the implementation process.

In Longleng, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala (PMU) camp and LPG safety clinic was launched on April 20 at Longleng town. The programme was a joint venture of the Supply department and the Indian Oil Corporation Limited.

Sub-divisional officer D Robin has urged beneficiaries to avail the facilities. He informed that the scheme would provide subsidies and reduces the use of firewood ‘which is hazardous to health and Climate Change.’ He lauded the organising department and agencies for launching the programme in the district.