Poor families covered under the Ujjwala scheme will be given 12 LPG cylinders a year for Rs 500 each in Rajasthan from April 1, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced on Monday.

Gehlot made the announcement in the presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi at a rally here on the sidelines of the "Bharat Jodo Yatra".

"I am preparing for the budget next month.... Right now, I want to say only one thing. Under the sham of the Ujjwala scheme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has provided the poor with LPG connections but the cylinders are lying empty as the rates have increased from Rs 400 to Rs 1,040," the veteran Congress leader said.

"I would like to announce on this occasion that those who are below the poverty line and covered by the Ujjwala scheme, a study of their category would be conducted and from April 1, they will be given 12 cylinders a year for Rs 500 each," he added.

Gehlot said his government would take one step after another to ease out the impact of inflation on people.

Highlighting his government's schemes, the chief minister said due to the 50 units of free electricity and the amount of Rs 1,000 being given to farmers every month, 46 lakh of them are not paying anything for their power consumption.

"As regards social security, we are giving pension to one crore people. We did great work during the coronavirus pandemic and even the WHO (World Health Organization) praised it," he said.

Gehlot also talked about the steps taken by his government to boost employment opportunities.

The Assembly polls are due in Rajasthan by the end of next year and the Congress is making all efforts to secure a second straight term in the state.

However, these efforts have been marred by an ongoing power tussle between Gehlot and his bete noire, Sachin Pilot.

Attacking the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, Gehlot alleged that democracy is being weakened in the country and institutions such as the judiciary, the Election Commission (EC) and probe agencies are working under fear.

People used to be scared of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Income-Tax department and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) earlier but now, these agencies themselves are afraid thinking what order would come next from the top, he said.

The Congress leader said the entire country is reeling under unemployment and price rise and alleged that the economy is being destroyed and divisions are being created.

"No one knows in which direction the country will be taken," he said, accusing those in power at the Centre of being "fascist and dictatorial".

Gehlot also alleged that those who criticise the BJP-led Centre are being sent to jail.

He said in such an environment, Gandhi has taken out the "Bharat Jodo Yatra" to unite people and it is being talked about all over the world.