With the launch of a two-day ‘kerosene-free city campaign’ at four places across the city on Wednesday, the district administration has upped the ante to ensure every house in Mangalore and Ullal is provided with a gas connection by the month-end.
“Nearly 7,000 households in the district are yet to get LPG connections, and we hope to cover all of them by November 1,” said Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim during the launching of the campaign at the Mangalore City Corporation office at Lalbagh. So far, since the launch of the first ‘kerosene-free campaign,’ the administration has received 950 applications.
With the gas kits costing beneficiaries Rs. 4,000 per household, the Deputy Commissioner said banks would provide “affordable” loans wherein, the amount could be paid back by the economically backward sections of society in monthly instalments of Rs. 200.
On the flipside, he said, there had been complaints that those who were given connections were struggling to get a cylinder. “There is a need for the gas companies to rectify this,” he said.
Mr. Ibrahim said the gas companies had given an assurance that the addition of new LPG connections would not delay the supply of refill cylinders to existing customers.
On inaugurating the campaign, District in-charge Minister B. Ramanath Rai, who is also the Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment distributed cooking ranges to six beneficiaries. Mangalore City South MLA J.R. Lobo said the challenge of the project would be to ensure connections to the “poorest of the poor” in the city – those who do not have door numbers or live in ramshackle hutments. “The city should be the nation’s first kerosene-free city,” he said. Special camps will be held again for two-days starting October 18.
They will be held at Mangalore City Corporation, Lalbagh; corporation sub-office, Surathkal; KIOCL Auditorium, Kavoor; and Ullal Town Municipality Office. Call 155313 or 1077.
Nearly 7,000 households yet to get LPG connections
So far the administration has received 950 applications
Courtesy : The Hindu