Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared a 100 rupee price reduction on clean cooking fuel cylinders, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), in honor of International Women's Day on Friday. The goal of this move is to "make the life of women easier."
The PM made the announcement in a post on social media platform ‘X’(formerly Twitter). "Our government has agreed to lower the price of LPG cylinders by Rs. 100 in honor of Women's Day today. Millions of households nationwide would see a major decrease in their financial load as a result, with our Nari Shakti being the main beneficiaries. Enhancing the affordability of cooking gas is a secondary goal, as our goal is to promote family welfare and maintain a cleaner environment. This is consistent with our mission to guarantee women's "Ease of Living" and to empower them," he said.
According to him, the action would also strengthen efforts to safeguard the environment, which will benefit family health. He also greeted women and praised their bravery in a different post.
"On this International Women's Day, greetings! We honor our Nari Shakti's accomplishments in a variety of professions and celebrate their power, fortitude, and tenacity. Through programs in business, education, technology, agriculture, and other areas, our government is dedicated to empowering women. This is evident in our achievements over the past ten years as well," the PM said.
Center increases Ujjwala Yojana Subsidies
The news came the day after the Center declared that poor women will now be eligible for an additional Rs 300 per LPG cylinder subsidy under the Ujjwala scheme, which will take effect on April 1. Previous to this, in October of last year, the Modi administration raised the scheme's subsidy from Rs 100 to Rs 300. The program can be used for up to 12 refills per year on 14.2-kg cylinders.
Ujjwala Yojana: What is it?
Launched in 2016, the 'Ujjwala Yojana' aims to provide deposit-free LPG connections to women in low-income households, thereby helping them.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has decided to extend this subsidy for the upcoming financial year 2024–2025 (FY25), according to Union Minister Piyush Goyal during a news conference on Thursday.
About 100 million families are expected to profit from the change, which would cost the government Rs 12,000 crore, according to the Center.
Remarkably, the decision is made just a few months before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, which are most likely to take place in April or May. One of the main electoral platform items for the Modi administration, which is running for a third term in office, is the advancement of women, farmers, young, and the impoverished.
