Odisha govt urges Centre to provide free LPG cylinders for cyclone Titli-hit people

Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Minister Surya Narayan Patro writes letter to Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan urging free distribution of cooking gas to people affected in CycloneTitli and subsequent floods in Gajapati, Ganjam & Rayagada districts.

In a letter to Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Surya Narayan Patro sought domestic LPG cylinders free of cost to the poor beneficiaries affected by the twin calamities under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).

“As you are aware, cyclone Titli and subsequent flood has severely affected lives and properties of the people of Odisha, particularly in the districts of Gajapati, Ganjam and Rayagada causing large-scale devastation. The cyclone effect has made the financial condition of people in these three districts very week who need immediate support for speedy recovery. The backbone of the poor people has completely shattered due to such natural calamities,” Patro wrote in the letter.

Patro said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has tried his level best to help poor people in every respect starting from providing gratuitous relief, houses as well as crop damage compensation due to cyclone and flood.

“The Centre is providing subsidised domestic LPG cylinders to the poorer section of society under the PMUY in the three districts. While 50,990 subsidised gas connections under PMUY are provided in Gajapati district, 2,39, 683 in Ganjam and 81,979 in Rayagada. However, at present these people are the worst sufferer and unable to pay the subsidised rate fixed by your department,” the minister said.

“I would request you to waive out the subsidised cost of the domestic LPG cylinders and supply the same free of cost which will help in ameliorating the sufferings of the poor beneficiaries in these three districts,” the minister added.

Replying to Odisha minister SN Patro’s letter, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan writes, Oil Marketing Companies have announced on October 14 to make arrangements to provide cylinders in lieu of lost ones during flood to BPL families at a nominal cost of Rs 200.

 

Comments are closed.