New Delhi, March 2 Fulfilling its election promise, the BJP government in Delhi launched a scheme on Monday to provide two free LPG cylinders on the occasions of Holi and Diwali to holders of ration cards.
President Droupadi Murmu launched the scheme, under which Rs 853 (the price of one LPG cylinder) was transferred to the account of the head of the family of the ration card holder through direct benefit transfer (DBT).
From this year, all ration card holder families in Delhi will be given financial assistance equivalent to the price of two LPG cylinders annually. Households with a PNG connection will also receive this amount.
"This assistance will be provided twice a year to ensure that families do not face additional financial pressure during festivals and can celebrate them with dignity," a statement said.
The amount will be transferred directly to the Aadhaar-linked bank account of the head of the family through DBT, ensuring transparency and accountability. The estimated annual expenditure on the scheme is approximately Rs 242.77 crore.
The government also launched Delhi 'Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana', an incentive-based replacement for the Ladli scheme.
"Under the scheme, Rs 61,000 will be deposited in stages in the name of each eligible girl, which will grow to over Rs 1 lakh with interest by the age of 21, subject to conditions such as completion of graduation or a vocational diploma," the statement added.
The financial management of the scheme will be handled by SBI Life Insurance Company Limited under the SBI Life Dhanrashi Sadhan framework.