Cabinet greenlights holi treat: 2 free gas cylinders annually

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Delhi has given the public some good news just before the festival of Holi. In a significant decision taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the government approved the free LPG cylinder scheme. Under this decision, eligible families will now receive two free LPG cylinders annually, one on Holi and one on Diwali. This step fulfills one of the key promises made by the BJP during the recent assembly elections, and is expected to provide significant relief to the general public in this era of inflation.

17 lakh families will get direct benefit

While formulating this scheme, the government clarified that its benefits would be particularly extended to women from the economically weaker section (EWS) and ration card-holding families. According to government data, more than 1.7 million families in the capital will directly benefit from this decision. The state treasury is expected to incur an expenditure of approximately ₹300 crore to run this public welfare scheme smoothly, which has been approved by the cabinet. The government's aim is to ensure that the joy of festivals remains in the homes of poor families as well.

These documents will have to be shown, government employees will be kept out

The government has also set certain eligibility criteria to avail the free cylinder. Beneficiaries will be required to show their Aadhaar card and a valid ration card with a Delhi address. The government has made it clear that those who do not fall under the EWS category or do not have a ration card will not be eligible for this scheme. Furthermore, government employees and retired pensioners are also excluded from the scheme. This facility is solely targeted at poor and needy families.