Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], June 11 (ANI): Several women beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana from Visakhapatnam expressed gratitude and shared how the scheme has positively impacted their daily lives, both at home and outside.

Dashari Kumari, a beneficiary of the scheme, shared her experience. 'I got my connection in the year 2018. I came to know about this through a news article. Then, I approached a nearby distributor operator, namely Dwarka Gas Service. Thereafter, I immediately got the gas connection as per the scheme,' she said.

Talking about the benefits, Dashari added, 'I could save a lot of time because of which now I am able to manage my work life as well as at home. I am able to feed my children whatever they want in less time.'

Another beneficiary, Durga from Mouli in Visakhapatnam, expressed her appreciation for the initiative. 'Earlier, I used firewood and coal for cooking. It used to take two to three hours to prepare food. Now, I can save that time. Within less time, I can prepare food for my children. And now I am engaged in other outside work also. With the financial benefit I am getting -- that Rs. 300 subsidy amount -- I was able to utilise that amount for other needs as well. I can save time. Financially, I am happy. So, I am thankful to our Prime Minister for providing me with this connection under the scheme,' she said.

Revathi, another beneficiary from Parvathipuram Manyam district, said, 'I came to know about this scheme through a distributor named Pentapati Kamaraju. I immediately approached him and was able to get the benefit under the scheme. Very soon, he installed the connection. Earlier, I was using firewood, so it used to take a lot of time. Now, I can save that time. With that support--both time and financial--whatever my children need, especially when they come back from school and want some snacks, I can now prepare them quickly. I'm also able to work outside. I am managing both my work life and home life with the help of this scheme.'

Another beneficiary from the same district, Devi, also spoke about her experience. 'I came to know about this scheme from the distributor Pentapati Kamaraju, and immediately, when I approached him, he sanctioned the connection. Whenever I need a refill, he is readily available and delivers the cylinder. I can save time, and it also helps me financially. Now, I can spend some quality time with my family,' she said.

'I go for small kinds of work outside. So early in the morning, I have to leave. Earlier, using firewood and coal took a lot of time. So I couldn't manage everything in the morning. Now, I am very comfortable and can balance both things,' Devi added.

As per data shared by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, 'The domestic LPG consumer base in the country has witnessed significant growth during the PMUY (Ujjwala) phase, increasing from 8.3 crore consumers as of March 2005, to 32.9 crore consumers by March 2025. LPG coverage has risen substantially from 62 per cent in 2016 to an estimated 99.8 per cent. Women spend quality time with family and contribute to the family income. Contributed to reducing deforestation and environmental degradation by lowering the reliance on traditional biomass for cooking.'

Rural populations saw a 46 per cent decrease in TB cases per 1 lakh people, while urban areas saw a four per cent decrease between 2019-21 compared to 2015-16, as per the National Family Health Survey shared by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. (ANI)