Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has announced the Chief Minister's Annapurna Scheme, which offers three free gas cylinder refills annually to impoverished families in the state. To avail of the benefits of this scheme, beneficiaries are required to complete e-KYC verification at their respective gas agencies. Additionally, it is essential for beneficiaries to link their bank accounts with their Aadhaar numbers, as advised by the Department of Food and Civil Supplies.
The scheme aims to provide women from poor families with a smoke-free cooking environment and improve their health by promoting the use of LPG gas, which is the safest option. However, many gas users cannot afford to refill their cylinders at market rates, leading them to resort to deforestation, which harms the environment.
To address this issue, the Chief Minister's Annapurna Scheme has been introduced. Under this scheme, beneficiaries of the Prime Minister's Ujjwala Yojana and the Chief Minister's "Majhichi Ladki Bahin" Scheme will receive three free gas cylinder refills annually.
The government put conditions on the beneficiaries like the gas connection must be in the woman's name. Beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana are eligible for this new scheme.
Families eligible under the Chief Minister 'Majhi Ladki Bahin Scheme' will also qualify, Only one beneficiary per family, as per the ration card, will be eligible. The scheme applies exclusively to customers with 14.2 kg gas cylinders.
