Bantwal: Dakshiha Kannada district will turn smoke-free within a year, said MP Nalin Kumar Kateel on Sunday July 23 here.

Distributing the Ujjwala yojana scheme to around 4,200 persons at Buntara Bhavana in Tumbe. Kateel explained about the benefits of the scheme and told that this initiative from the Central government is going to benefit the whole of Dakshina Kannada. And the whole of DK district will turn smoke-free within a year.

“On the basis of census undertaken in 2011, LPG kits have been distributed among 4,200 people out of 44,000. The other 40,000 will get their LPG connections within the next two months. All the eligible beneficiaries who have filed applications will get connections under Ujjwala Plus scheme within the next Deepavali” he said.

Kateel requested the women to make use of this opportunity and avail the free gas connections which also includes a cylinder, regulator, Suraksha pipe and stove free of cost from the government.

The LPG customers will have insurance cover to the extent of six lakh rupees in case of death, personal compensation, medical insurance cover up to Rs 30 lakh for each tragedy, personal compensation up to two lakh rupees and medical compensation of Rs 25,000.

Nodal officer of Ujjwala scheme in Dakshina Kannada district N Naveen Kumar delivered introductory address.

Zilla panchayat president, Meenakshi Shantigodu, vice president, Kasturi Panja, former Campco director, Sanjeev Matandoor, former MLAs, K Padmanabha Kottary, and A Rukmaya Poojary as well as HPCL manager Ramesh were at the dais.