More than 90 lakh beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Scheme have been unable to refill their LPG gas in the last financial year and only 1.08 crore have managed to refill it once.
In a reply to a Right to Information Act (RTI) from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL).
The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 1, 2016. The scheme distributed 50 million LPG connections to women below the poverty line.
According to the RTI reply filed by Neemuch-based activist Chandra Shekhar Gaur, IOCL replied, “For the connection released till March 21.65 lakh consumers have not refilled their cylinders in the financial year 2021-22.”
Replying to another RTI Act question, HPCL confirmed that nearly 9.175 lakh have not refilled their cylinders for the financial year 2021-22.
BPCL in its reply said that 15.96% of scheme consumers have not bought any cylinder in the financial year 2021-22.
Speaking to the Times of India, Ramkali, a resident of Roshanpura said, “I got this cylinder for free from the government but my financial condition is bad. I get Rs 600 as a pension per month. I cook on burning wood. If I buy an LPG refill, I will be left with nothing to eat.”
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