Imphal: “A new lighter and easy-to-use LPG gas cylinders will soon make their way into your kitchen,” Union minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Labour & Employment, Rameswar Teli said on Thursday.
The Union minister who arrived in Imphal on his two-day visit to Manipur was addressing a free LPG connection distribution function organized by the Imphal division of Indian Oil Corporation Limited in Thoubal district this evening.
He said that the Central government is set to launch new fibre-made composite cylinders with capacities of 2 kg, 5 kg and 10 kg of cooking gas. “It would be much safer and lighter than the metallic cylinders in use. Current steel made cylinders carry a net 14.2 kg of gas”, he also said.
The Union minister then said that his ministry (Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas) has approved the launch of the fibre-made bottles, which will ensure fire safety as they do not explode even when engulfed by fire due to the fibreglass technology. “The Centre has been considering introducing the lighter LPG cylinder considering the problem being faced by women while transporting the refilled LPG cylinder”, he further said.
The Union minister hoped that once this fibre-made cylinder is introduced the hardship faced by women in handling the heavy cylinder will be a thing of the past.
On the occasion held at Mela Ground Unity Hall at Thoubal district headquarters, the Union minister distributed free LPG connections to 20 beneficiaries of UJJWALA 2.0 which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August this year.
In his address on the occasion, the Union minister urged those households which are yet to have the LPG connection to avail the benefit of the scheme and get LPG connection free of cost.
Along with a deposit-free LPG connection, Ujjwala 2.0 is providing the first refill and hotplate free of cost to the beneficiaries, he said.
The phase two of the scheme targets 100% coverage of households which are yet to have the LPG connection, he also said.
The Union then said that the Centre had launched UJJWALA 2.0 with the objective of covering the households which were not covered by the UJJWALA 1.0.
He further said that eight crore households were benefited by the UJJWALA1.0 and UJJWALA 2.0 is targeting to cover one crore more beneficiaries.
In Manipur, he said that 1.56 lakh households had availed the benefit of the first phase of the scheme and since the launch of the second phase in August this year, 8,500 households had availed the benefits till November 1 last, he said.
Manipur Works minister Thongam Bishwajit Singh who also attended the function said that the scheme was a part of empowerment of women which the Modi-led government at the Centre is giving emphasis.
He said, “This is not to vote for BJP but to empower women.”
He said that the BJP-led government at the Centre is committed to make India self-reliant and without making Manipur a self-reliant state, India cannot be a self-reliant country.
“To achieve the goal, empowering women is a must. That is why, Prime Minister Nareendra Modi is giving emphasis to improving the condition of women in the society”, he asserted.
NNN
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