Delhi Cabinet gives nod to proposal to provide free cooking gas cylinders to EWS women on Holi

The Delhi government is likely to provide free cooking gas cylinders to women from economically weaker sections (EWS) on the festival of Holi in March, official sources said.

The Delhi Cabinet gave its nod to a proposal to this effect during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta earlier in the day, they said.

Providing free cooking gas cylinders to women from EWS families on Holi and Diwali, as well as subsidised cylinders at Rs 500 each to financially weaker households, was part of the BJP’s manifesto for the Delhi assembly polls.

According to the sources, the cooking gas cylinders will be provided free of cost on Holi and Diwali to women from EWS families having ration cards.

This is expected to incur an expenditure of around Rs 300 crore, the sources said.

While campaigning for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi bypolls in November last year, Chief Minister Gupta assured that her government would fulfil all its promises, including providing a monthly assistance of Rs 2,500 and subsidised gas cylinders to poor women.

The BJP government has already fulfilled some of its poll promises, including the implementation of the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme in Delhi and opening Atal Canteens to provide meals to the needy at a nominal cost of Rs 5.