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Rajamahendravaram: The East Godavari district is getting ready to launch a free LPG cylinder program beginning on Diwali in compliance with government directives.

The goal of this program is to provide three free LPG cylinders to qualified recipients with ration cards each year. Gas cylinders are now being delivered around the area by 42 entities.

All LPG connection holders will be covered by the program, officials said, with the exception of those who have business connections. However, a current ration card is necessary for eligibility.

427,199 of the district’s 668,641 gas connections are normal connections. 186,208 connections have been authorized under the Deepam plan, while 41,055 are under the PM Ujjwala Yojana of the national government. Furthermore, 7,690 connections have been approved under the CSR program.

In the district, 574,907 households have ration cards. All ration cardholders with LPG connections will be eligible for the free cylinder program, according to current indicators.

Beneficiaries may anticipate receiving their first free gas cylinder by March 2025, with reservations opening on October 31. After that, they will get a complimentary cylinder every four months from April to July, August to November, and December to March.

Beneficiaries must complete the e-KYC procedure in order to get the free cylinders. The district’s e-KYC implementation is still ongoing, according to officials. To complete the e-KYC, connection holders must go to their gas agency with their ration card, Aadhaar card, and valid LPG connection.

It is also noted that a large number of ration card users are landowners, government workers, and income taxpayers, all of whom may not be eligible for the free-cylinder program. To ascertain eligibility, officials are awaiting further rules. According to officers, a six-phase check will be conducted to verify eligibility.