Pratibha Singh bunks Smriti Irani’s claims of free LPG connection Ujjwala scheme

Shimla: Congress state president Pratibha Singh refuted Union Minister Smriti Irani’s claims of disbursing 1.36 lakh LPG cylinders to women free in Himachal under Ujjwala scheme.
Addressing a press conference here Friday, Ms. Singh said Union Minister seemed to be not aware with reality as only 9415 women were able to refill LPG cylinders in the state due to exorbitant prices.
Congress leader said only 51 percent of the households in Himachal have cooking gas. Just ahead of Smriti Irani’s Rampur visit on Saturday for Assembly canvassing, Pratibha Singh said during Smriti Irani earlier visit under UPA rule the rate of LPG cylinder was only Rs 450, however, Union Minister had called it very expensive.
She said people of Rampur expect an explanation from Smriti as to why promises made in her past visit were not fulfilled. Pratibha Singh said as soon as the Modi government came to power at the Center, instead of reducing the prices of LPG, it withdrew subsidy and then increased the prices of LPG.
The situation is that today the LPG cylinder has crossed Rs 1100. In Himachal, the BJP is talking about giving free gas connections to the people under Ujjwala and Mukhyamantri Grihini Yojna from every platform, but women are unable to fill the gas due to the cost.
On 15 June 2020, Union Minister Smriti Irani said 1.36 lakh gas connections have been given in Himachal under the Ujjwala scheme in 2018-19. In Himachal only 83177 cylinders were refilled in 2018-19. Due to exorbitant cost of cylinders, only 9415 cylinders could be filled by women in 2021-22.
The Central Government had given a subsidy of 37209 crores on gas in 2019 in view of the elections. In 2022, only 242 crore subsidy was given by the central government. Contrary to the government’s claims of 100 pc gas connection, only 51.7 percent of the households in Himachal have LPG.
Congress leader Alka Lamba said due to inflation and rising LPG prices, women of Himachal got the Ujjwala scheme and now want to return the empty cylinders to Smriti Irani during her visit to Rampur. They will demand that either the gas rates should be reduced or the government should take them back. Alka Lamba said Modi government became first government in the history of Country which imposed GST on milk, curd and children’s pencil. Congress leaders said Congress wanted to provide immediate token amount of 1500 rupees per month to give relief from inflation.
Tomorrow, local women would show black flags to Union Minister Smriti Irani for burdening the people with skyrocketing inflation, Alka Lamba added. (UNI)