Lucknow: PM Narendra Modi launched Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana in UP's Ballia today, an initiative to provide 5 crore free cooking gas connections to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families over next three years.
Speaking at the occasion, Modi said," Last year I have appealed to fellow citizens to give up the LPG subsidy if they can afford and surprisingly over 1.1 crore families have gave up the subisdy."
"Now this money will be channelised to benefit the poor families through this scheme," he added.
The prime minister will arrive at the Babatpur airport from New Delhi by a special aircraft and will leave by helicopter for Ballia in eastern Uttar Pradesh to launch the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).
From Ballia, the prime minister will fly back to Varanasi where will preside over a function to distribute 1,000 e-rickshaws to beneficiaries at Diesel Locomotive Works ground.
PM Modi will then visit "Jnana Pravaha", a centre of cultural studies and research, in Samne Ghat area. The centre was founded in 1997 by city-borne philanthropist Bimla Poddar, who was conferred with Padma Shri last year.
The Jnana Pravaha boasts of a museum with rare artefacts belonging to ancient and medieval ages, a library equipped with rare books and manuscripts and a handicraft atelier where artisans churn out exquisite specimens of brass, copper and Ashtadhatu (alloy comprising eight metals).
The prime minister will thereafter head to the Assi Ghat on river Ganga, where he will launch 11 solar-powered "e-boats".
These e-boats will not only reduce pollution, but will also bring down operational costs, thereby enabling higher incomes for those who earn their livelihoods through such boats on the river Ganga, an official said.
This will be the prime minister's third tour of his parliamentary constituency since January this year.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the visit, a home department official told IANS.
(IANS inputs)
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