On Wednesday, Hardeep Singh Puri, the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, justified the government’s decision to cut the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana’s (PMUY) subsidised LPG cylinder refill supply from nine to four per year, saying that certain beneficiaries were abusing the program.
The minister explained the decision to IANS by saying that it was based on data showing that certain recipients did not need the full allocation of subsidised refills and an analysis of cylinder use patterns.
The government allegedly discovered cases where subsidised LPG cylinders were being resold or diverted for commercial uses instead of being used for residential cooking needs, according to Puri.
Much talk has been going on since this morning about how we cut the number of Ujjwala cylinders in half, from nine to four. The minister questioned the necessity of more than four cylinders, asking why anyone would want them.
Rather than using all of the cylinders for household consumption, he said, many recipients were distributing them to others when authorities got convincing information to that effect.
The cylinders were unnecessary for many of our Ujjwala recipients. According to Puri, the cylinder, which cost 300 rupees, was being either sold for commercial use, diverted, or given to someone else for 300 rupees extra.
According to the minister, the government made the decision after analysing the scheme’s usage pattern and finding instances when discounted LPG benefits weren’t being used as planned.
By providing low-income families with access to LPG connections and subsidised refills, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana seeks to lessen their reliance on conventional cooking fuels and increase their usage of clean cooking fuels.
In order to make sure that public funds are being used effectively, Puri stressed that welfare programs should only go to real people.
The minister went on to commend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership style and state that the BJP has maintained its support from the people due to the positive associations people have with the party’s programs about development, delivery, and welfare.
He went on to say that the government is still committed to helping its residents through specific welfare programs, but that it will be open and accountable in how it carries out these programs.
The government argues that the decrease in the number of subsidised LPG cylinder refills under the Ujjwala Yojana is done to curb abuse and make sure that the benefits go to real families. Despite the backlash, officials stand by their claims that more precise subsidy targeting will boost efficiency and ensure that low-income families receive their welfare benefits.
IMage: Zee News
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