PM Narendra Modi says Ujjwala Yojna scheme has led to social transformation

While Dalits got 445 petrol pumps in 2010-14 during UPA rule, more than 1,200 from the community got it in 2014-18 during his government’s rule, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his government has so far distributed 10 crore LPG connections, four crore of which were given free.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was interacting with Ujjwala Yojna beneficiaries via video-conference. (AFP/File Photo)

In a video-conference interaction with groups of beneficiaries of the Ujjwala Yojana, a flagship welfare scheme aimed at increasing LPG coverage among the poor, the PM said compared to his tenure, 13 crore LPG connections were distributed in six decades since the Independence.

Modi said that when he was young, the rich and influential people would get the LPG and tell the poor that it was unsafe to have a gas connection at home.

Referring to Dalits, a politically key constituency being vigorously wooed by the ruling BJP, Modi said they have benefited from his government’s schemes.

“Since people started to get benefits under the Ujjwala Yojana, a big social transformation is visible. Out of its four crore beneficiaries, 45% are Dalits and tribals,” he said.

The PM said his government would ensure clean fuel to 100% household in the near future, saying 81 out of 100 families now have LPG connections.

Ujjwala scheme was launched in May 2016.