LUCKNOW: Accusing the BJP of taking the poor for a ride in the name of Ujjwala Yojana 2.0 launched by UP CM on Wednesday, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the scheme was another design to lead the housewives in villages to buy cooking gas cylinders which are getting costlier by the day. He said the scheme was yet another gimmick of the BJP in the run up to UP elections.
“The tagline of the scheme should be changed from ‘clean fuel, better life’ to ‘expensive fuel, difficult life’ as prices of the cooking gas cylinders are increasing by the day,” he said. The SP president said the scheme was introduced as an initiative to empower women in the rural areas but the reality is that these gas connections have become mere showpieces as poor villagers are unable to get refills because of the ever-increasing cost of the gas. “As per a National Statistical Office (NSO) survey report, almost 20% of the families living under the below poverty line have a monthly income of Rs 1,065. In the past 15 days, the prices of cooking gas cylinders have been increased by Rs 321. In July, a gas cylinder was being sold for Rs 933. From August 1, price of 19kg commercial gas cylinder has increased by Rs 73.50 while the subsidy amount is fixed,” Akhilesh said.
He said the beneficiaries of the Ujjwala Yojana are not in a position to get a refill once the first cylinder is used. Almost 78% of the beneficiaries have switched back to chulha they used before they got the gas connection. The poor villagers are not in a position to buy a new cylinder. “It is a conspiracy to make the poor poorer,” Akhilesh said, adding that the scheme is ill-conceived.
