Setting development and poverty eradication as agenda for the next Uttar Pradesh elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched a Rs 8,000 crore scheme to provide 5 crore free LPG connection to poor families and attacked previous governments for not doing much despite many prime ministers being elected from the state.
"Uttar Pradesh gave many prime ministers. But poverty increased. Number of poor increased. (Governments) could not empower poor to fight poverty.
"There were many promises and policies were made. But these schemes were not framed keeping in mind the interest of poor. Rather, the focus was on ballot box (election)," Modi said.
Elaborating about abject poverty in eastern Uttar Pradesh, he said, "In 1955, in Nehru's presence, an MP from Ghazipur raised the issue of people washing cow dung to find grain to eat. After that, a Patel Commission was set which gave many recommendation for the state. Now after 50 years, what happened to those suggestions, God knows."
Poverty, he said, can be eradicated only if poor are empowered, given resources and opportunities as well as education, jobs, houses, drinking water and electricity.
He questioned the policies pursued by the previous government for poverty eradication, saying poverty has only increased during past years.
"We are working to fight poverty," he said adding under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, free LPG connections will be provided in the name of women members of BPL households.
In the first year, 1.5 crore such connections will be released and the target of 5 crore will be completed in three years, he said, comparing it to the just 13 crore LPG connections provided in 60 years of independence.
Taking a dig at speculations that this event was organised
to launch the state election campaign, he said, "Those who are political pundits are saying that Modi has come here for sounding the election bugle. But I have not come here to launch the election campaign. I chose Ballia for the launch of the scheme as the district's average gas connection penetration is 8 out of 100, which is one of the lowest in the country."
The polls in the state are due in 2017 as the term of the assembly ends in May.
Explaining about development eliminating poverty, Modi said, "We have done the unthinkable...We have made petroleum sector work for the poor. It was not considered the sector for the poor."
Calling himself 'Shramik No.1' (Worker No.1), he listed various initiatives taken by his government for the welfare of labourers.
The launch coincided with May Day and Modi attacked previous governments for doing little for poor. "Policies made by previous governments was not keeping in mind the welfare of poor but only ballot boxes," he said.
"In my first speech in Central Hall of Parliament after BJP goverment came to power (in 2014), I had said my government is dedicated to the poor.
"Whatever this government does, will be for the benefit of the poor and for the welfare of poor," he said as he listed out initiatives like raising minimum pension to Rs 1,000 and introduction of labour identification number (LIN).
The maximum wage that entitles bonus to workers has been raised to Rs 21,000 from Rs 10,000 per month previously, while bonus limit too has been doubled to Rs 7,000.
Provident fund (PF) portability has been provided to help utilise the Rs 27,000 crore of retirement benefits lying unused because of workers changing jobs or cities.
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Modi said he had last year pledged to electrify 18,000 villages where even an electricity pole has not reached so far, in next 1,000 days.
Uttar Pradesh, he said, has given many Prime Ministers to the country and he was fortunate that the state has accepted him.
The state had 1,529 villages where even electricity poles had not reached. In 250 days since the scheme was launched, 1,326 villages have been electrified and power supply started, he said adding the remaining villages would be covered soon.
He asked people to pledge not to pollute river Ganga to protect the environment and heritage.
On March 27, Modi had officially launched the 'Give-it-Up' campaign, urging the well-off to surrender their LPG subsidy so that it can be given to the needy.
The aim is also to bring down the country's dependence on energy imports by 10 per cent by 2022.
"Responding to the call, 1.10 crore people have given up their subsidies," he said.
Subsidy surrendered will be used to provide free LPG connection to BPL families.
Consumers are currently entitled to 12 cylinders of 14.2 kg each or 34 bottles of 5 kg each in a year at subsidised rates. A subsidised 14.2-kg cylinder is currently available at Rs 419.15 per bottle in Delhi while the 5-kg pack costs Rs 155.
Market-priced LPG is available at Rs 509.50 per 14.2-kg cylinder. Giving up subsidised LPG will help cut the government's subsidy bill, which was at Rs 30,000 crore for the fuel last fiscal.
Nearly Rs 5,000 crore of subsidy saved through the campaign is being used to provide LPG connection to the poor. "We have released 60 lakh new connection to poor in the last one year," he said.
Under the scheme launched today, a financial support of Rs 1,600 for each LPG connection will be provided to the BPL households. The identification of eligible BPL families will be made in consultation with the state governments and the Union Territories.
The country currently has 16.64 crore active LPG consumers.
Stating that LPG coverage is being increased, he said there are serious health hazards associated with cooking based on fossil fuels.
According to WHO estimates, about 5 lakh deaths occur in India alone due to unclean cooking fuels. Experts say having an open fire in the kitchen is like burning 400 cigarettes an hour.
Providing LPG connections to BPL households will ensure universal coverage of cooking gas in the country and this will empower women and protect their health, he said.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had in his Budget for 2016-17 provided Rs 2,000 crore to provide deposit free LPG connections to 1.5 crore women belonging to BPL families.
Further, the Budget announced that the scheme will be continued for two more years to cover 5 crore households.
