Bengaluru (DHNS): The state government will go ahead with “Anila Bhagya scheme” of providing free LPG connections for BPL families utilising its own grants and is preparing a software to process eligible beneficiaries.

The state government’s move comes at a time when implementation of a similar scheme of the Centre of providing free LPG?connection “Ujjwala” has been delayed in the state. “We will soon invite applications for Anila Bhagya scheme and it will be monitored at the gram panchayat level. A software is being prepared and it will identify eligible beneficiaries.

As far as the Ujjwala scheme is concerned, we have written to the Centre that its implementation has been delayed in the state and remedial measures will be taken,” Food and Civil Supplies Minister U?T?Khader said. He said the state government has clarified to the Centre that the Anila Bhagya scheme is not being funded using Central grants or supplied to beneficiaries making use of the concessional rates (Rs 1,600 per LPG connection) offered by the Centre.

“There was some objection from the Centre that we cannot have a parallel scheme and we should also name our initiative as Ujjwala. The Anila Bhagya scheme will be funded by the state (Rs 1,920 per LPG?connection).?We propose to provide free gas connection to about five lakh eligible poor families which have not qualified under Ujjwala scheme,” Khader said.

Eligibility for Ujjawala scheme includes that the applicant’s data should match with the BPL data with oil marketing companies as per the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (Rural) database. The applicant should be a woman belonging to a BPL household which does not own an LPG connection.

As many as 2.16 lakh families in the state have been selected for the Ujjwala scheme but are yet to get the LPG connection.