Lucknow, Nov 3 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Tuesday that during the Congress government’s tenure, people had to pay between Rs 25,000 and Rs 50,000 to get an LPG cooking gas cylinder connection.
Adityanath spoke at a function in Lucknow to distribute LPG cylinder refill subsidies worth Rs 1,500 crore to over 1.89 crore eligible households under PMUY (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana).
He said, “Recall the time before 2014; under the Congress government, obtaining a cooking gas connection was an arduous struggle, and there were numerous difficulties. One would often have to pay as much as Rs 25,000, Rs 35,000, or even Rs 50,000 in black money to get a single (LPG) connection.”
He said while launching the PMUY from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh on May 1, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji was visibly moved, saying the sight of his mothers’ and sisters’ tears deeply affected him.
“Therefore, he decided that the practice of paying bribes to obtain an LPG connection must come to an end. The culture of bribery that existed under the Congress is being completely put to an end. In other words, Modi ji helped you save Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 that you used to spend, and the cooking gas subsidy was transferred directly into your account. This is good governance,” Adityanath said.
The chief minister said true good governance is when the benefits of government schemes reach the person standing at the very last rung of the social ladder, without any discrimination. “Funds that were previously lost to bribery and unnecessary expenditures are now becoming savings for poor families,” he said.
Citing a recent World Bank report, he said 46 crore people in India have risen above the poverty line, reaching a position where they can lead a normal and prosperous life.
He said, “Look at the tenures of the governments before and after 2014. Before 2014, the youth were unemployed; farmers were forced to commit suicide; the poor were forced to face death by starvation. People had no work, and women had no avenues for self-reliance. Development had stalled, and the nation was in dire straits. Corruption was rampant, with scandals like the Commonwealth Games scam, the 2G (spectrum) scam, and the coal scam. However, after 2014, Modi ji put an effective halt to corruption and these scams. The trust that the people of the nation placed in Modi ji only grew stronger.”
Adityanath asked his audience a question: what was the situation in Uttar Pradesh before 2017? “Forget about festivals or something as basic as a cooking gas cylinder, people struggled just to protect their own property,” he said.
The chief minister said unrest would erupt even before any celebration could begin. “There were riots, curfews, and chaos. Neither daughters nor traders were safe. Nothing was secure. Markets were deserted, and people, gripped by fear, would remain inside their homes, and the streets were empty,” he said
“Today, I can say: it is the season of Diwali. Look at the vibrancy of the markets. What a lively atmosphere! Could anyone dare to harass a daughter or sister walking on the street today? If someone tried, they would know a path straight to hell awaits them. No one can harass anyone anymore. No one can forcibly extort from a merchant. No one can incite a riot. The need to impose a curfew will never arise. Because there is an environment of security, there is hustle and bustle everywhere,” Adityanath said.
The chief minister “assured” women of the state that the ‘double-engine’ government is working promptly not only to ensure their safety and protect women’s dignity, but also to uphold their honour and self-reliance.
“We have provided security. Now, we must move towards economic self-reliance. We are set to introduce a comprehensive package specifically for women. Every woman will become self-reliant, serving as a pillar of strength for her family, and ensuring a quality education for her children,” he said.
“With access to good education, this ‘half of the population’ (women) will become self-reliant. Uttar Pradesh will become self-reliant, and a self-reliant Uttar Pradesh will be a developed one. And as Uttar Pradesh becomes developed, India will also become developed,” Adityanath said.
He said, “I often observe that, in the past, women were afraid to step out of their homes after sunset. Now, they are even working night shifts in various industries. Now, there is no security issue. The ‘Lakhpati Didi’ programme is being implemented successfully, and the ‘BC Sakhi’ programme is also being carried out successfully.”
Adityanath announced that the government would soon introduce a special package to make women self-reliant. He urged women to prepare mentally and decide what kind of work they want to undertake, assuring them the government would stand by them.
The chief minister announced a package for farmers who have suffered crop losses due to natural causes, stating that it will benefit three crore farming families in the state. He announced the launch of ‘Annapurna Bhojanalayas’ at major agricultural produce markets (‘mandis’) and labour hubs.
“Farmers arriving at these markets with their produce will no longer have to rely on meagre refreshments like jaggery and water; instead, by paying a nominal token amount, they will be able to enjoy a full, wholesome meal with dignity,” he said.
The chief minister said due to factors such as climate change, El Niño, and unseasonal cyclones, farmers are grappling with excessive rainfall, droughts, and hailstorms.
“Over the past 15 days, standing crops have been damaged twice by heavy rains, high-velocity winds, and storms. The government is providing immediate compensation to affected farmers and will also introduce a separate relief package. This package is set to benefit three crore farming families across the state,” he said.
The chief minister said the current price of a domestic gas cylinder is Rs 983.45. The Central government provides a subsidy of Rs 335.40, leaving the beneficiary to pay Rs 648.55 paise from their own pocket.
“On the occasion of Diwali, the state government has paid this amount directly to the respective gas companies on behalf of the beneficiaries. Eligible families can now obtain their gas cylinders from their gas agencies without having to make any payment themselves,” he said.
The chief minister said this will result in a saving of approximately Rs 650 for these families. With these savings, low-income families will be able to purchase sweets and earthen lamps for Diwali, bringing further joy to heir homes during the festival, he said.
(PTI News)
