Andhra govt sanctions extra one-lakh LPG connections to BPL families

HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh government has sanctioned an extra one-lakh liquefied petroleum gas connections to the families, who are living below the poverty line (BPL).

The government in August last year sanctioned three-lakh LPG connections to the BPL families and has also given four-lakh connections during the present financial year under the Deepam Scheme.

As per an order issued by Civil Supplies Commissioner Mr Harpreet Singh, 21 districts in the state have been given 3,000 connections each, Medak district attained 7,000 and West Godavari 5,000 connections.

Moreover, out of the one-lakh new connections, 25,000 have been kept as reserved for the distribution in near future on the basis of demand. The state government has allotted 37.36 lakh LPG connections under the Deepam Scheme to the (BPL) beneficiaries since 1999.

According to the scheme, the state government pays deposit for cylinder and regulator to the Oil Marketing Companies and the beneficiaries have to bear the refill price.

There are almost 200-lakh families in the state out of which 147 lakh (both general and Deepam beneficiaries) now have got LPG connections.
The state government had requested the Centre to give 24-lakh LPG connections (eight lakh per year) to the BPL families in the state in the upcoming three years but the Oil Marketing Companies decided to make arrangements for the release of just one lakh more LPG connections in the year 2011-12.