PM Modi's Ujjwala Yojana is a 'failure': BJD

Bhubaneswar: The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government at the Centre by terming the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana as a failure.

Addressing a presser, BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said that the BJP's Ujjwala Yojana couldn't achieve its objective and has failed miserably in Odisha.

PM Modi and even Union Minister Dharmendra are seen claiming Ujjwala Yojana as BJP's most successful scheme. But in real terms, it is not a successful scheme at all.

- Pratap Deb, BJD Spokesperson

No doubt people have been given LPG connections, but the number of connections per year is declining. Besides, the refilling percentage of gas cylinders has seen a drastic fall, he said.

Citing the data submitted by Pradhan in the Parliament, Deb said out of the total 30.48 lakh gas connections provided in Odisha, only 8.18 lakh (approx) cylinders were refilled in the financial year 2016-17, and it further declined in 2017-18 fiscal to only 6.45 lakh (approx).

The ruling-BJD spokesperson said regular rise in gas price and delay in credit of subsidy amount to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries are the reasons behind the failure of the scheme in Odisha.

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Responding to BJD's allegations, Pradhan said that such comments of the BJD prove that the party is anti-women and anti-poor.

The leaders who are presenting the report selectively are only displaying their intolerance, anti-women, anti-poor and anti-people attitude. Hadn't the scheme been a successful one, women in the State would not have accepted and welcomed it in such a manner.

- Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Petroleum Minister