Around 4,000 free LPG cylinders were distributed among beneficiaries under the centrally-run Ujjwala scheme in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, an official said.
However, some Below Poverty Line (BPL) families claimed that they have not received the free refills till date, a charge denied by the concerned agency.
The free cooking gas cylinder distribution is part of the special relief measure announced by the Central government under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana to mitigate against the economic losses suffered by the poor due to the coronavirus pandemic outbreak.
Indane gas, a subsidiary of Indian Oil Corporation, said it has reached a large section of the Ujjwala subscribers with free refills despite the lockdown.
"We have distributed 4,000 cylinders till Sunday morning at the doorsteps of the beneficiaries in the length and breadth of the district. Out of a total 8467 Ujjwala connections, money for free refills has been transferred in the respective accounts of 5,662 subscribers, said Manager, Indane outlet, Doda, Nirja Kumari.
She refuted the claim of some BPL families in Dradhu and Kharangal panchayat that they were not only charged for the Ujjwala connections but have not received any refill.
"Last year, due to shortage of regular passbooks, we issued Ujjwala passbooks among some new subscribers and now they are making an issue out of it. We will surely verify all the subscribers who have been issued Ujjwala passbooks to clear this confusion," she said.
Showing her Ujjwala connection passbook and BPL ration card, Shakti Devi of Dranga village said, "I was charged Rs 2,616 for Ujjwala connection by the gas agency and have not received any money in my account till date."
"I ran from pillar to post with my BPL ration card for the Ujjwala connection but to no avail. Losing all hope, I again started to go to the forest everyday to collect firewood," another resident, Renu Bala said.
However, most of the villagers expressed their gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the scheme to benefit the poor citizens of the country.
"This is surely an act of kindness by (PM) Modi as we were in a fix about how to refill our cylinders during the lockdown as we are without work since the last several months and were running short of money to make both ends meet. Free ration and now free cylinders is of great help," Sapna Devi said.
Sheetal, a student, also praised the Prime Minister for the free refill and said, We are getting more time to study instead of collecting firewood from the jungle.
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