(a) whether the Government is aware that under the Ujjwala Yojana most women cannot get a second gas connection due to lack of funds;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government to fix this;
(c) whether the Government is aware that going back to cooking stoves harms the health of women drastically; and
(d) whether the Government proposes to finance additional LPG connections to ensure women get a continuous supply of gas and if so the cost associated with the same?
MINISTER OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN) (a) to (d) OMCs have reported that nearly 86% of PMUY beneficiaries who are atleast one year old have returned for the second refill. The use of LPG by PMUY beneficiary household depends on several factors which include food habits, cooking habits, availability and accessibility to LPG, price of LPG, free availability of firewood, cow dung etc. In order to encourage the PMUY beneficiaries to adopt and use LPG on sustained basis, OMCs have taken measures which include :–
(i) offering swap facility i.e. to provide small 5 kg cylinder against 14.2 kg cylinder as per the requirement.
(ii) conducting Pradhan Mantri LPG Panchayat to educate beneficiaries on the benefits of sustained use of LPG and its safe usage.
(iii) launching audio visual media campaign to spread awareness on advantages of use of LPG.
(iv) targeted SMS campaign to reach to beneficiaries who have not comeback for refill.
(v) display campaign by way of banners, standees and hoardings at public places.
Under PAHAL scheme, the applicable subsidy to LPG consumers including PMUY beneficiaries, is transferred directly into the bank account of the consumers. As on 20.06.2019, out of 26.43 crore LPG consumers, 24.81 crore consumers have joined the Scheme and are getting subsidy in their registered bank account