New Delhi, June 29 (IANS): The central government on Wednesday cautioned intended beneficiaries not to get tricked by cheats on the pretext of releasing cooking gas connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).

It said some unscrupulous people were cheating intended beneficiaries out of money on the pretext of facilitating the release of LPG connections.

"It is brought to the notice of all concerned that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry has not appointed any NGO or any other agency for releasing liqueified petroleum gas connections under the PMUY," a ministry release said here.

"In certain areas, some unscrupulous people posing as government-appointed NGOs are trying to contact beneficiaries for facilitating the release of LPG connections under PMUY and are charging money." 

The release said that a few people associated with one such fraud agency operating in Bareilly area have been arrested by the local police.

The PMUY is aimed at providing LPG connections to poor families as part of a scheme to ensure smokeless kitchens.

"The LPG connections under the PMUY are released only by authorised LPG distributors of government oil marketing companies," the ministry said.

The ministry asked the beneficiaries to only approach distributors of Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum.