Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday announced that Ujjwala scheme beneficiaries will be given a cooking gas cylinder free of cost as a “Diwali gift”.

The chief minister made the announcement during an event in Bulandshahr where he inaugurated and laid the foundation of multiple development projects worth Rs 632 crore.

The projects include 104 projects worth Rs 208 crore that have been inaugurated, and 152 projects worth Rs 424 crore whose foundation stone has been laid.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a gift to every family through the Ujjwala yojna and reduced cylinder prices by Rs 300. Now we have also decided that every Ujjwala yojna connection beneficiary will be given one cooking gas cylinder free of cost as a Diwali gift," Adityanath said.

Adityanath said getting LPG gas connections was a difficult task before the current BJP government came to power in 2014. Around 1.75 crore families in Uttar Pradesh alone have benefited from the Ujjwala scheme, he said.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana is a central government initiative that gives financial support for LPG connection to BPL (Below Poverty Line) families.

Highlighting other BJP schemes, the chief minister said that there are 55 lakh women who have become homeowners in Uttar Pradesh under the PM Awas Yojna, while 2.75 lakh toilets have been built in the state under 'Swachh Bharat' initiative.

"In the last nine years, we all have witnessed a new India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This new India is prosperous, powerful and self reliant," Adityanath said.

He said the new India has benefitted all categories of people and citizens, including the youth and women of the country after 2014.

"What with ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ campaign has now reached a point where Parul Chaudhary (women's 5000m) and Annu Rani (javelin) are now winning gold medals in the Asian games," he said, adding both have brought laurels to the country and UP.

“They will both be appointed deputy SPs... Gold medal winners (at this year’s Asian Games) will be awarded Rs 3 crore, silver winners Rs 1.5 crore and bronze medal winners will be given Rs 75 lakh by the state government. A felicitation ceremony for them would be held soon. We will also give them government jobs," the chief minister said.

Adityanath lauded the prime minister for launching campaigns like ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’, ‘Khelo India’ and ‘Fit India’, which the CM said have resulted in women bringing laurels to the country in international events.

Adityanath was joined by UP government's in-charge minister of Bulandshahr Arun Saxena, BJP's western UP regional president Satendra Sisodia, Lok Sabha MP Bhola Singh, Rajya Sabha MP Surendra Nagar, among others.

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