9 crore new LPG connections provided in 4 years: Dharmendra

New Delhi: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said that nine crore new LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) connections have been distributed in the last four years, including 3.5 crore connections provided under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).

Speaking at the launch of PMUY scheme in Delhi, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Pradhan said, LPG penetation across India has improved drastically with nine crore new LPG connections being distributed in the last four years.

He was quoted in a statement as saying that the government's target of providing gas connections to nine crore BPL (Below Poverty Line) families by 2020 "will be incorporating genuinely poor households left out of socio economic caste survey (SECC) list and now will be empowering a wider section of society."

During the launch event "approximately 400 LPG connections were handed over to women of BPL (below poverty line) families," the statement issued by IndianOil Corporation said.

Launched in May 2016, under the scheme government provides LPG connections to BPL families with a support of Rs 1,600 per connection.