TFP Bureau, Raipur, October 19: In a major pre-Diwali announcement, the Government of India has approved the distribution of 2.5 million new LPG connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), benefiting economically weaker women across the country. Of these, Chhattisgarh has been allocated a target of 2.23 lakh new domestic LPG connections.
The initiative, launched by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, comes as a festive gift to millions of families and marks a renewed effort to expand the reach of clean cooking fuel. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for extending this benefit, stating that the move will further empower women and improve the quality of life in rural households.
The Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department of Chhattisgarh has issued detailed operational guidelines to ensure efficient and transparent implementation of the scheme at the district level.
New Gas Connections to Be Delivered Within 15 Days
As per the state government’s directives, every district will form a District Ujjwala Committee headed by the District Collector to monitor the progress of PMUY implementation. Eligible families will be able to submit applications for new LPG connections within the next seven days. Once verified by local gas agencies, the connections will be issued within 15 days.
The committees will oversee application processing, verification, and on-ground delivery, ensuring beneficiaries receive their LPG connections promptly.
Priority to Tribal and Remote Districts
In alignment with the Niyyad Nella Naar Yojana, special priority will be given to tribal-dominated districts including Bijapur, Sukma, Narayanpur, Kanker, and Dantewada. Camps will be organized in coordination with oil companies to ensure 100% coverage of eligible families in these regions.
For the remaining 34,425 families yet to receive gas connections, special drives will be conducted in selected villages with good network access to facilitate e-KYC verification and distribution.
District Ujjwala Committees to Oversee Implementation
Each district committee will be chaired by the District Collector or a senior authorized officer. Members will include the District Nodal Officer from an oil marketing company, representatives from other oil firms, the District Food and Civil Supplies Officer, and two non-official members. The committees will be responsible for verifying at least 5% of the applications to maintain transparency and accuracy in beneficiary selection.
Eligibility Criteria Outlined for New Beneficiaries
The government has also outlined strict eligibility norms for applicants. Families earning over ₹10,000 per month, government employees, and those running registered non-agricultural enterprises will not be eligible. Similarly, farmers with a Kisan Credit Card limit above ₹50,000, owners of over 2.5 acres of irrigated land, or households possessing motorized vehicles or large houses (over 30 square meters) will be excluded from the scheme.
The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, launched in 2016, has already transformed the lives of over 10.33 crore women across India by providing safe, smoke-free cooking fuel. With this new phase, the government aims to extend the benefits of clean energy to millions more, ensuring health, dignity, and environmental well-being for rural households.
