HP becomes first state where cent per cent households have LPG gas connections: CM

Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country where 100 per cent households have LPG connections, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said on Monday.

Interacting with the beneficiaries of 'Himachal Grihini Suvidha Yojana' through video conferencing, Thakur said cooking food on traditional 'chulha' was not only cumbersome, but also had adverse effects on the health of the women.

Under the central government's 'Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana', gas connections were provided free of cost to women of rural areas, he said, adding that 1.36 lakh families of the state were benefited under the scheme.

The state government had launched 'Himachal Grihini Suvidha Yojana' to cover the left out families in the state, who were not covered under the Centre's scheme.

The chief minister said as many as 2,76,243 families in the state were provided free gas connections under this scheme.

"This has not only saved the women from ill effects of kitchen smoke, but also helped in conservation of our environment," Thakur said.