LPG ISSUES IN BIHASR AND THE UNFULFILLED PROMISE OF THE UJJAWALA SCHEME

LPG ISSUES IN BIHASR AND THE UNFULFILLED PROMISE OF THE UJJAWALA SCHEME

1-APRIL-ENG 4

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA--------------------------Even today, problems related to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) have not been completely resolved in Bihar. This remains a serious challenge, particularly for rural and impoverished families. On one hand, the government is implementing various schemes to promote the use of clean fuel; on the other, the ground reality is that many eligible individuals remain deprived of the benefits offered by these initiatives.

The objective of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana is to provide smoke-free kitchens to poor families, with a special focus on women. Under this scheme, gas connections were provided to hundreds of thousands of families, leading to an improvement in their standard of living. However, in Bihar, there remains a significant number of ration cardholders who wish to obtain a connection under this scheme but are currently unable to access this facility.

There could be several reasons for this issue—such as hurdles in the application process, the limited scope of the scheme, or a lack of information and oversight at the local level. This directly impacts poor families who still rely on wood, cow dung, or other traditional fuels—a dependency that has negative repercussions on both human health and the environment.

The government must take this issue seriously, comprehensively re-implement the Ujjwala Scheme, and launch special campaigns to ensure its benefits reach all eligible individuals. Furthermore, monitoring and awareness-building efforts should be intensified at the Panchayat level to ensure that no deserving individual is left deprived of this facility.

Ultimately, clean fuel is not merely a convenience; it is a necessity. If LPG connections reach every household, it will not only make life easier for women but also steer society toward a healthier and cleaner future.