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PM’s surprise visit to Ujjwala beneficiary
The Ujjwala scheme was implemented in May 2016 to provide LPG connection to women belonging to below poverty line families
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday made a surprise visit to the Ayodhya residence of Meera Manjhi — the 100 millionth beneficiary of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana and drank tea made by her.
The Ujjwala scheme was implemented in May 2016 to provide LPG connection to women belonging to below poverty line (BPL) families.
Modi, who was on a one-day visit to the temple town to inaugurate a slew of projects, made a sudden stopover at Manjhi’s residence when his cavalcade was passing by her colony near the Lata Mangeshkar Chowk.
As he entered the house for a cup of tea and a 10-minute chat, the entire area resonated with enthusiastic chants of “Modi-Modi”.
Manjhi told the Prime Minister that she has got free LPG connection and accommodation due to government schemes. “I have received free gas and accommodation. Earlier, I had a kutcha house. But now it has become pucca. I am delighted to see you at my house.”
As the PM took a sip of the tea Manjhi made, he jokingly said: “Bahut meethi chai peete ho aap log (You take so much sugar in your tea).” Manjhi replied that she often puts excess sugar by mistake.
The PM, however, later praised the tea, saying: “You make good tea. I am chaiwala, so I know how to make tea.”
He also inquired about the well-being of Manjhi’s family and her neighbours.
Expressing her happiness over hosting the PM, Manjhi later told news agency ANI: “I was not aware that he would visit us. He came to our home. We are feeling very happy. We were not aware that God would arrive in such a way.”
In a post in Hindi on X (formerly Twitter), Modi said: “Held a ‘chaai pe charchaa’ at the house of sister Meera ji, the 10th-crore beneficiary of Ujjwala Yojana, along with her family members in Ayodhya. I felt very satisfied to know how government schemes have made the life of the entire family easier.”
In a now viral video of the brief visit, the Prime Minister is also seen giving his autograph on a painting of the Ram temple, which he later handed over to a local boy.
Meanwhile, later in the day, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s office issued an order to include Manjhi in the Mukhyamantri Arogya Yojana, under which eligible candidates will get health insurance cover up to ₹500,000.
