From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
New Delhi, Sep 10: Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has urged Union Minister of Petroleum Dharmendra Pradhan and sought to direct oil marketing companies to release additional LPG connections for Mukhyamantri Anila Bhagya Yojane which is complementary to Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna implemented by Government of India.
The Chief Minister, accompanied by his brother and Public Works Minister HD Revanna, called on the Union Minister in New Delhi on Monday.
The Mukhyamantri Anila Bhagya Yojane (MMABY) is aimed at universalising the LPG usage and covers families who cannot be covered under PMUY.
In MMABY, the beneficiary family is provided with gas connection, gas stove and two refills free of cost. It is proposed to cover nearly 30 lakh beneficiaries under this scheme over 18-24 months.
Though the scheme was launched in February 2018, MMABY could not be operationalised due to State Assembly Elections.
When a stakeholders meeting was convened in this regard recently, the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) had agreed to release 1 lakh connections each in the months of September and October this year and treat the beneficiaries similar to any other applicant with only difference being that the payment for security deposit and refills will be done by State Government on behalf of beneficiaries.
Further, OMCs had informed that they need to ramp up their resources in terms of availability of Gas cylinders, regulators, suraksha tube etc to release more than 50000 MMABY connections every month, he explained.
In order to realise the goal of Kerosene free Karnataka, the connection release capacity for MMABY should be increased to 1.5 to 2 lakh connections per month along with the provision to pay the security deposit on behalf of the beneficiaries to the distributors.
The Chief Minister appealed to Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to give necessary directions to the Oil Marketing Companies in this regard.
The Union Minister promised to consider the request from the State Government favourably.