New Delhi: The Centre has introduced changes to the eligibility criteria for availing LPG cylinders at subsidised rates. As per the new eligibility rules listed in the form of a 14-point declaration by the Union government, any adult woman from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) households, listed beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), most backward classes, Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), those from tea and ex-tea garden tribes, forest dwellers, people living in islands and river islands, those from Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC) households and people belonging to poor households would be deemed eligible for subsidised LPG cylinders.
The eligibility rules further stipulate that those applying to avail cooking gas at subsidised rates should be adults, i.e they should have attained a minimum of 18 years of age.
Also, as per the new rules, the applicants for subsidised LPG cylinders should not hold any existing cooking gas connections.
According to a release by the central government, the price of cooking gas has been hiked several times over the last few months.
Easing LPG price pain for Aam Aadmi
As per the prevailing rates, an LPG cylinder of 14.2 kg capacity now goes at Rs 1,003 per cylinder in New Delhi. However, as per decision taken by the Centre to ease the price pain for the common man, the beneficiaries of ‘Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana’ (PMUY) will be eligible to avail a subsidy of Rs 200 per cylinder, upto 12 cylinders, on the prevailing market rate. The subsidies will be credited directly to the bank accounts of the listed beneficiaries.
Know the PMUY scheme
The flagship PMUY scheme was introduced by the Narendra Modi government in 2016 with a view to ensuring supply of cooking gas cylinders to poor and deprived households in the country’s remotest corners.
Nearly, 9.17 crore LPG connections at subsidised rates have been provided to the targeted beneficiaries till April 25, 2022, the official portal of PMUY scheme states.