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| + | ====== Ujjwala connection rejected? RTI to the Oil Marketing Company ====== | ||
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| + | <WRAP center round info 95%> | ||
| + | **Quick Reply:** Ujjwala connection rejected, stalled or first-refill subsidy missing? File RTI to the OMC Area Office and Petroleum Ministry for the release records. | ||
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| + | <WRAP info> | ||
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| + | <WRAP center round tip 95%> | ||
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| + | ===== The story most citizens recognise ===== | ||
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| + | Sunita Devi lives in a village in Purba Bardhaman district, West Bengal. In February 2026 she walked to the local Indane distributor with her Aadhaar card, the Aadhaar copies of her husband and two adult sons, and a one-page migrant self-declaration form. She had no ration card. The distributor at the counter ran her biometric eKYC, took her photograph, handed her a slip with a 17-digit application reference number, and told her the connection would be released in "two to three weeks." | ||
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| + | Ninety days later there was no cylinder, no stove, no first refill, and no written rejection. When she went back, the distributor said over the counter: "Your household already has a connection. Duplicate case. Cannot be issued." | ||
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| + | Sunita is not unusual. Across India, **10.57 crore PMUY connections** had been released by February 2026, but the last-mile layer where the OMC distributor matches Aadhaar to a household is where most genuine applicants get stuck. The rejection is almost never put in writing. That is exactly the gap the Right to Information Act, 2005 was built to close. This guide shows you, step by step, how to force the Oil Marketing Company to pull its own backend record and put the eligibility check on paper. | ||
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| + | ===== What PMUY actually is (and why the name matters) ===== | ||
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| + | The **Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)** is a scheme of the **Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG)**, Government of India. It was launched on **1 May 2016** with an original target of 5 crore free LPG connections for women from poor households; the target was later enhanced to 8 crore, and that milestone was reached on **7 September 2019**. | ||
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| + | The scheme was then renewed. **Ujjwala 2.0 was launched on 10 August 2021** from Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh. Under Ujjwala 2.0 a beneficiary gets, in addition to the deposit-free connection, a **free two-burner hotplate (stove) and a free first refill** — there is no stove loan and no EMI. This corrects the older PMUY-1 model, where the stove was given on a loan recovered through refills. If you are filing today, you are almost certainly under Ujjwala 2.0, and the "stove loan" framing no longer applies. | ||
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| + | The connection itself is **fully deposit-free**. The Government pays the Oil Marketing Companies **Rs.1,600 per connection**, | ||
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| + | Three **Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs)** implement the scheme at the field level. All three are Central Public Sector Undertakings under MoPNG, which makes them **public authorities** under the RTI Act: | ||
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| + | - **IndianOil (Indane)** — citizen portal cx.indanoil.in; | ||
| + | - **BPCL (Bharat Gas)** — portal my.ebharatgas.com; | ||
| + | - **HPCL (HP Gas)** — portal myhpgas.in. Its RTI nodal officer is the GM(I/C)-RTI and PG, Petroleum House, 17 Jamshedji Tata Road, Churchgate, Mumbai 400020. | ||
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| + | MoPNG itself is a separate public authority. Its suo-motu Section 4(1)(b) disclosures and CPIO and Appellate Authority lists are published at mopng.gov.in/ | ||
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| + | As of February 2026, India had **10, | ||
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| + | <WRAP tip> | ||
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| + | ===== How a Ujjwala connection moves — so you know what to ask for ===== | ||
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| + | To ask a sharp question, you need to know the pipeline. A Ujjwala 2.0 application passes through six stages, and your RTI should name each stage by its backend label: | ||
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| + | - **Stage 1 — KYC capture.** The distributor collects your Aadhaar (as Proof of Identity), the Aadhaar of every adult family member, your photograph, and either a ration card or a migrant self-declaration (Annexure-I) that doubles as Proof of Address and family-composition proof. | ||
| + | - **Stage 2 — Biometric eKYC.** The distributor runs your fingerprint or iris against the Aadhaar database. If eKYC fails — mismatched biometrics, a locked Aadhaar, a name-spelling mismatch — the application cannot progress, and the distributor often does not tell you why. | ||
| + | - **Stage 3 — Duplicate-household check.** The OMC backend checks whether an LPG connection already exists mapped to your Aadhaar or to the address. This is the stage that produces the most false rejections: a mother-in-law' | ||
| + | - **Stage 4 — Eligibility verification.** For PMUY-1 cases, eligibility was drawn from the **SECC-2011 deprivation list** and a 14-point deprivation declaration signed by the beneficiary. For Ujjwala 2.0 migrant cases, the self-declaration is sufficient and no SECC lookup is required. | ||
| + | - **Stage 5 — Connection release and SV.** Once cleared, the OMC releases the connection, issues a 17-digit LPG-ID, and the distributor delivers the cylinder, regulator, hose, hotplate, and the first refill against a Subscription Voucher (SV). | ||
| + | - **Stage 6 — First-refill subsidy credit.** The PAHAL DBT subsidy of **Rs.300 per 14.2 kg cylinder for up to 9 refills in FY 2025-26** (proportionate for 5 kg cylinders) is credited to your linked bank account after the first refill is delivered and the refill record is logged in the OMC backend. | ||
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| + | When your application stalls, it is stuck at one of these six stages. Your RTI asks the OMC to pull the dated record for each stage. That record either shows where it is stuck, or shows that the " | ||
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| + | ===== The 2026 update you must know about ===== | ||
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| + | Two things changed recently that directly affect a Ujjwala RTI filed today. | ||
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| + | First, the **PMUY connection count crossed 10.57 crore by February 2026**, and a **fresh extension of 25 lakh additional connections was approved for FY 2025-26**, of which about 24.75 lakh had already been released. This means the scheme is still accepting and releasing new applications — a stall is not because the scheme has closed. If a distributor tells you " | ||
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| + | Second, the **targeted refill subsidy for Ujjwala beneficiaries in FY 2025-26 is Rs.300 per 14.2 kg cylinder for up to 9 refills in the year** (proportionate for 5 kg cylinders). This is the PAHAL DBT subsidy on refills, separate from the one-time connection support. If your connection is released but the first-refill subsidy never credits, the money at stake is up to Rs.2,700 per year — and the record of why it did not credit sits in the OMC backend and your bank's DBT log, both retrievable through RTI. | ||
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| + | What does this mean for Sunita? Her connection is not refused because the scheme ended; it is stuck at Stage 3, the duplicate-household check, almost certainly on an Aadhaar-mapping error. That is the record she needs to force into the open. | ||
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| + | ===== Step-by-step: | ||
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| + | You will file **one primary RTI to the OMC Area Office** that holds your application, | ||
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| + | **Step 1 — Identify the right OMC and Area Office.** Look at your application slip: the distributor name and the 17-digit reference tell you which OMC (IndianOil, BPCL or HPCL) is running your case. The CPIO is at the OMC Area Office or Regional Office that covers your district. HPCL's nodal RTI officer is at Petroleum House, Mumbai; BPCL publishes its CPIO list online; IndianOil routes through its Area Offices. If you cannot locate the exact CPIO, address the application to "The CPIO, [OMC name], [Area Office covering your district]" | ||
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| + | **Step 2 — Mark a parallel copy to MoPNG.** File the same application through **rtionline.gov.in** selecting the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. This costs another Rs.10 but prevents the OMC and the Ministry from passing the buck to each other. | ||
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| + | **Step 3 — Prepare your questions.** Ask for dated, named records — not "why was I rejected." | ||
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| + | - " | ||
| + | - " | ||
| + | - "If my application has been flagged or rejected on the ground of ' | ||
| + | - " | ||
| + | - " | ||
| + | - " | ||
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| + | **Step 4 — Use the right form and fee.** This is a Central public authority, so the **RTI Rules 2012** apply. The fee is **Rs.10**, payable by Indian Postal Order, banker' | ||
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| + | **Step 5 — Submit and keep proof.** File by hand at the CPIO's office and take a stamped receiving copy, or send by registered post and keep the acknowledgement, | ||
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| + | **Step 6 — Wait 30 days.** The CPIO must reply within **30 days** under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act (48 hours only where life or liberty is at stake, which a Ujjwala application is not). Silence is a deemed refusal under Section 7(2) and triggers your appeal rights. | ||
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| + | ===== Documents to attach ===== | ||
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| + | - A copy of your Aadhaar card (Proof of Identity) with the number masked if you prefer. | ||
| + | - Copies of Aadhaar of adult family members, as submitted to the distributor. | ||
| + | - The 17-digit application reference slip or a screenshot of the pmuy.gov.in tracker showing your reference number. | ||
| + | - The migrant self-declaration (Annexure-I) or ration card, whichever route you used. | ||
| + | - Any written communication from the distributor (usually none — which is itself the point). | ||
| + | - The 1906 helpline or MyLPG grievance docket number, if you raised one. | ||
| + | - A BPL certificate, | ||
| + | - The Rs.10 Indian Postal Order or the rtionline.gov.in payment receipt. | ||
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| + | ===== Common mistakes to avoid ===== | ||
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| + | - **Filing only at the Ministry.** Operational custody is at the OMC Area Office. The Ministry will forward and you lose 5 days under Section 6(3). File at the OMC first, Ministry as a parallel copy. | ||
| + | - **Asking "why was my application rejected." | ||
| + | - **Not citing the 17-digit application reference and distributor code.** Without them the PIO cannot locate your file in the backend. | ||
| + | - **Ignoring the Ujjwala 2.0 migrant route.** If you applied on a self-declaration without a ration card, say so. Many rejections are caused by the distributor wrongly insisting on a ration card when the self-declaration is legally sufficient. | ||
| + | - **Forgetting the BPL fee waiver.** If you hold a BPL certificate, | ||
| + | - **Missing the first-appeal window.** If no reply comes by day 30, file the First Appeal under Section 19(1) within the next 30 days. Waiting too long closes the appellate door. | ||
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| + | ===== Real-life example ===== | ||
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| + | <WRAP center round box> | ||
| + | **Sunita Devi, Purba Bardhaman district, West Bengal — Ujjwala 2.0 migrant route.** | ||
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| + | Applied: 12 February 2026 at the local Indane distributor. Aadhaar + biometric eKYC + migrant self-declaration (Annexure-I), | ||
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| + | **RTI filed:** 18 May 2026, to the CPIO, IndianOil Area Office (Burdwan), with a parallel copy to MoPNG through rtionline.gov.in. Fee Rs.10, waived on her BPL certificate. Six questions targeting the six backend stages, the duplicate-match record, and the eKYC error log. | ||
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| + | **Day 30 reply:** The Area Office pulled the backend record. The " | ||
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| + | **Outcome: | ||
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| + | ===== Sample RTI letter ===== | ||
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| + | < | ||
| + | To, | ||
| + | The Central Public Information Officer, | ||
| + | [Indian Oil Corporation / Bharat Petroleum Corporation / Hindustan Petroleum Corporation] — [Area Office], | ||
| + | [Address] | ||
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| + | Subject: Information under Section 6(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, regarding my Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana application. | ||
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| + | Sir/Madam, | ||
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| + | I, [Name], daughter/ | ||
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| + | Application details: | ||
| + | - PMUY / Ujjwala application reference number (17-digit): ________ | ||
| + | - Date of application: | ||
| + | - Distributor name and code: ________ | ||
| + | - Category (PMUY-1 / Ujjwala 2.0 / Ujjwala 2.0 migrant): ________ | ||
| + | - LPG-ID, if released: ________ | ||
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| + | Please furnish: | ||
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| + | 1. The stage-wise status of my application in the OMC backend, with the date stamp at each stage: KYC capture, biometric eKYC, duplicate-household check, eligibility verification, | ||
| + | 2. The eligibility-verification record, including whether the SECC-2011 deprivation list or the Ujjwala 2.0 migrant self-declaration route was applied, and the name and designation of the verifying officer. | ||
| + | 3. If the application has been flagged or rejected on the ground of " | ||
| + | 4. The distributor' | ||
| + | 5. A certified copy of the Subscription Voucher and the stove and first-refill issue register entry for my LPG-ID, if released. | ||
| + | 6. The first-refill subsidy transaction reference (UTR) and date of credit to my bank account, if released. | ||
| + | 7. The name, designation and address of the First Appellate Authority for this public authority. | ||
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| + | I enclose Indian Postal Order No. __________ for Rs.10 towards the application fee under Rule 3 of the RTI Rules, 2012. I hold a BPL certificate (copy enclosed) and claim the fee waiver under the proviso to Section 7(5) of the RTI Act read with Rule 5 of the RTI Rules, 2012. | ||
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| + | If the information is held by another public authority, I request transfer under Section 6(3) within five days. | ||
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| + | Yours faithfully, | ||
| + | [Signature] | ||
| + | [Name] | ||
| + | [Date, Place] | ||
| + | </ | ||
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| + | ===== The escalation ladder if you get no answer ===== | ||
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| + | RTI works because it has a built-in ladder. If the CPIO ignores you or sends a vague reply, you do not stop. | ||
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| + | - **First Appeal — Section 19(1):** File within 30 days of the PIO's reply (or of the deemed refusal if no reply came by day 30) with the First Appellate Authority in the same OMC. The FAA must decide within 30 days, extendable to 45. | ||
| + | - **Second Appeal — Section 19(3):** If the FAA also fails, file a Second Appeal to the **Central Information Commission (CIC)** within 90 days. There is no fee for a second appeal to the CIC. | ||
| + | - **Complaint — Section 18:** If the CPIO never replied at all or refused to accept the application, | ||
| + | - **Penalty — Section 20:** The CIC can impose a penalty of Rs.250 per day of delay, up to Rs.25,000, on the CPIO. | ||
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| + | For Ujjwala cases, the most common outcome is that the **first RTI reply pulls the backend record**, the " | ||
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| + | ===== Frequently asked questions ===== | ||
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| + | ==== Am I eligible under Ujjwala 2.0 if I do not have a ration card? ==== | ||
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| + | Yes. Under Ujjwala 2.0, a migrant worker can apply on a **self-declaration (Annexure-I)** that serves as both Proof of Address and family-composition proof. You must also submit your Aadhaar (as Proof of Identity), the Aadhaar of all adult family members, and complete biometric eKYC at the distributor. No ration card or permanent-address proof is required on this route. If a distributor insists on a ration card despite a valid self-declaration, | ||
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| + | ==== Is the stove really free, or is there a loan? ==== | ||
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| + | Under Ujjwala 2.0 the **two-burner hotplate and the first refill are free** to the beneficiary — there is no stove loan and no EMI. This is different from the older PMUY-1 model, where the stove was given on a loan recovered through refill instalments. If a distributor demands cash for the stove or the cylinder deposit on a Ujjwala 2.0 application, | ||
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| + | ==== What is the ₹1,600 government support for? ==== | ||
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| + | The Government pays the OMC **Rs.1,600 per connection** to cover the deposit-free hardware — roughly the 14.2 kg cylinder security deposit (about Rs.1,250), the pressure regulator (about Rs.150), the Suraksha hose (about Rs.100), installation and administration (about Rs.75), and the DGCC booklet (about Rs.25). You do not pay this. It is a payment from the Government to the OMC, not a fee you owe. | ||
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| + | ==== How much is the refill subsidy, and how many refills does it cover? ==== | ||
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| + | For FY 2025-26, the targeted PAHAL DBT subsidy for Ujjwala beneficiaries is **Rs.300 per 14.2 kg cylinder for up to 9 refills in the year**, proportionate for 5 kg cylinders. The subsidy is credited to your linked bank account after each refill is delivered and logged in the OMC backend. If the first refill is delivered but the Rs.300 never credits, ask for the UTR and credit date through RTI. | ||
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| + | ==== The distributor says my household already has a connection, but it is my mother-in-law' | ||
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| + | This is the most common false rejection. The OMC backend maps connections by Aadhaar and address, and a relative' | ||
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| + | ==== Do I have to pay the RTI fee if I am BPL? ==== | ||
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| + | No. Under the proviso to **Section 7(5)** of the RTI Act read with **Rule 5 of the RTI Rules 2012**, a BPL person is exempt from both the application fee and any further information fee on producing a BPL certificate. Most Ujjwala-eligible women qualify, so attach the certificate and claim the waiver in your letter. | ||
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| + | ==== Where do I file — the OMC or the Ministry? ==== | ||
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| + | File at the **OMC Area Office** as the primary authority, because it holds the operational record. Mark a parallel copy to the **Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas** through rtionline.gov.in. Filing only at the Ministry usually gets a forward-to-the-OMC reply and lost time. | ||
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| + | ==== Can I track my application online instead of filing RTI? ==== | ||
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| + | The pmuy.gov.in tracker shows the surface status, but it does not show the backend — the duplicate-match record, the eKYC error code, the approving officer. RTI extracts the record that the operator sees, which is what you need to break a stall. Use the tracker to note your reference number, then file RTI for the backend detail. | ||
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| + | ==== What helplines can I use alongside the RTI? ==== | ||
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| + | The **LPG Emergency Helpline 1906** (toll-free, pan-India), the toll-free number **1800-233-3555**, | ||
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| + | ==== What if the distributor demands cash for the free connection? ==== | ||
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| + | Refuse, record the date, the amount quoted and the person' | ||
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| + | ===== Sources ===== | ||
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| + | - Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas — PMUY scheme page: [mopng.gov.in](https:// | ||
| + | - PMUY scheme portal and tracker: [pmuy.gov.in](https:// | ||
| + | - PMUY Ujjwala 2.0 apply page: [pmuy.gov.in/ | ||
| + | - PMUY FAQ (deposit-free connection, free stove and first refill, migrant route): [pmuy.gov.in/ | ||
| + | - PM India — PM launches Ujjwala 2.0 from Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh (10 August 2021): [pmindia.gov.in](https:// | ||
| + | - IANS — PMUY near-universal LPG coverage, 10.57 crore connections, | ||
| + | - Economic Times — Ujjwala refill subsidy: [economictimes.indiatimes.com](https:// | ||
| + | - BPCL — CPIO and Public Information Officers list: [bharatpetroleum.in](https:// | ||
| + | - HPCL — Apply for Seeking Information under RTI: [hindustanpetroleum.com](https:// | ||
| + | - MoPNG — RTI Section 4(1)(b) disclosures: | ||
| + | - MoPNG — CPIO and Appellate Authority details: [mopng.gov.in](https:// | ||
| + | - MoPNG e-Seva grievance portal: [mopnge-seva.in](https:// | ||
| + | - Right to Information Act, 2005 — full text: [cic.gov.in](https:// | ||
| + | - RTI Rules 2012 (fee Rs.10, BPL waiver, modes of payment): [niti.gov.in](https:// | ||
| + | - Central RTI online filing portal: [rtionline.gov.in](https:// | ||
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| + | ===== Related on RTI Wiki ===== | ||
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| + | - [[aadhaar-seeding-failed-lpg-ration-pension|Aadhaar seeding failed for LPG, ration or pension]] | ||
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