Gujarat government had launched PNG/LPG Sahay Yojana to give subsidised piped natural gas connections to BPL families in urban areas. Under this scheme, state government gave a one-time subsidy of ₹1,600 for each connection, along with a loan of ₹1,725 to families opting for new PNG connections instead of LPG cylinders.
Update: Scheme has been closed. It was a one-time pilot scheme launched in Bharuch district and no fresh applications are being accepted under it now. Families who need cooking gas support can check PM Ujjwala Yojana for free LPG connections.
What Was PNG/LPG Sahay Scheme
PNG/LPG Sahay Scheme was an extension to PM Modi's Ujjwala Yojana. It aimed to replace kerosene fully and give cleaner fuel to BPL families. Gujarat became the first state to run a PNG scheme for AAY (Antyodaya Anna Yojana) and BPL households in selected urban areas.
Since Ujjwala Yojana did not cover urban AAY/BPL households, this scheme was meant to fill that gap. Urban AAY/BPL households got benefits through city gas distribution companies and state-owned oil marketing companies.
Subsidised PNG for BPL/AAY Families in Bharuch
Chief Executive Officer of state government was the nodal officer for this scheme. It was rolled out first in Bharuch district to replace kerosene for urban AAY/BPL households left out of Ujjwala Yojana. Main features of scheme were as follows.
- State government paid ₹1,600 as one-time subsidy for each new PNG connection under this scheme.
- Government also gave ₹1,725 as loan to customers who wanted a new PNG connection instead of LPG.
- Eligible families had to pay only ₹118 for a new PNG connection, along with a refundable security deposit of ₹50 per month for 100 months.
- State government had a pipeline network of around 25,000 km for city gas distribution, and Gujarat already had 1.8 million households connected to PNG at that time.
- Plan was to expand scheme to other municipal corporations and districts after pilot phase in Bharuch.
This scheme was part of a bigger push for cleaner cooking fuel in Gujarat. State government also ran other schemes around the same time, like Mukhyamantri Apprentice Yojana which gave ₹4,500 per month as stipend and Sujlam Suflam Jal Sanchay Abhiyan for water conservation.
PNG/LPG Sahay Yojana Highlights
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | PNG/LPG Sahay Yojana |
| Launched By | Gujarat Government |
| Launched In | Bharuch district (pilot) |
| Eligible People | Urban BPL/AAY families |
| Subsidy Amount | ₹1,600 one-time per connection |
| Loan Amount | ₹1,725 for new connection |
| Current Status | Closed, no new applications |
Source / Reference Link: https://cmogujarat.gov.in/en/photo_gallery/guj-cm-launches-cm-apprenticeship-scheme-png-lpg-sahay-yojana-bharuch/