Rural women to get new LPG connections

Nellore: Union Minister of State for Textiles, Petroleum and Natural Gas Panabaka Lakshmi said that new LPG connections would be given to women in the rural areas under the Rajiv Grameena Vitharan Yojana Scheme. She was addressing the regional officers of the LPG, Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Gas at the Haritha hotel here on Thursday.

Later, speaking to the media, the Union Minister said that she would clear all the 10 lakh LPG connections, which were still pending in the country. She said that the State was in the forefront with regard to the implementation of the Deepam scheme. She said that the Union government was receiving more than 80 % of the revenue from the consumers of the Deepam scheme.

The statement of the Union Minister gains significance as the Central government, which advertised for new LPG applications, cancelled it later. Those owning double cylinders got some relief from the statement of Panabaka Lakshami who said that they could transfer one of their cylinders under the non-subsidized category.

Panabaka Lakshmi said that a cluster of handloom industries would be inaugurated between Chirala and Bapatla at an estimated cost of Rs 70 crore. Apart from providing employment opportunities in such industries, the youth would also be given training in the handloom sector.

She said that she would impress upon the Central government to clear the pending projects in the State. She expressed her happiness over the huge public response to the three day visit of the Chief Minister during the Indiramma Baata programme.

Panabaka's name omitted

Nellore: The non-inclusion of names of Union Minister of State for Textiles, Petroleum and Natural Gas Panabaka Lakshmi, Minister for Primary Education S Shailajanath, and local MLC from the teachers' constituency Srinivasulu Reddy on the foundation stone plaque of the Medical College being setup here at an estimated cost of Rs 360 crore raised several eyebrows on Thursday.

Panabaka Lakshmi expressed her displeasure over the omission of her name on the plaque as the medical college also receives funds from the Centre. The Anam group alleged that her name was deliberately omitted. They said that they would take up the matter with the protocol officers of the Central and State governments.