Assam Ujjwala beneficiaries offered 5 kg LPG cylinder as ‘affordable’ option 

The Indian Oil Corporation Limited offers two 5 kg LPG cylinders as a refill package to PMUY beneficiaries, who are unable to afford the standard 14.2 kg cylinder, in Assam. 

GUWAHATI:

The Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has been offering two 5 kg LPG cylinders as a refill package to Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) beneficiaries, who are unable to afford the standard 14.2 kg cylinder, in Assam. 

The progress has been slow. The country’s leading energy PSU, branded Indian Oil, has been able to push only 1 lakh ‘mini’ cylinders over the past 12 months among 34 lakh beneficiaries who have struggled to continue using liquefied petroleum gas. 

According to the number of ration card holders, Assam has about 56 lakh families below the poverty line (BPL). Of these, 44.14 lakh became the beneficiaries of PMUY entailing a free single-cylinder LPG connection. 

Officials of Indian Oil’s Assam Oil Division (AOD) said some 25% did not apply for refill due to various reasons, including non-affordability and availability of firewood for cooking. This left about 34 lakh beneficiaries keen on continuing to use LPG, if affordable. 

“We have been offering the BLP families 10 kg of LPG in two 5 kg metallic cylinders as a cheaper option. We hope the small cylinders would increase in popularity among people who find the 14.2 kg cylinder beyond their means,” G. Ramesh, the executive director and Assam head of IndianOil AOD said on Friday. 

Indian Oil’s field officials have outlined some “practical problems” in pushing the 5 kg cylinders.