Gandhinagar, March 13 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said on Friday that gas cylinders will be available to everyone on time, claiming there was no shortage despite the current global situation.

The Chief Minister was addressing farmers during a state-level programme of the PM-Kisan scheme.

Patel urged people not to spread rumours about LPG supply and assured that those who require gas cylinders would receive them without difficulty.

“There is no difficulty in the global situation that has arisen. If anyone needs gas, they will get it. No one should spread rumours wrongly. Gas cylinders will be available to everyone on time,” he said.

The Chief Minister was speaking during a programme organised in connection with the release of the 22nd instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme, under which the central government transferred Rs 2,000 each to eligible farmers through DBT.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the instalment from Guwahati, transferring more than Rs 18,640 crore to over 9.32 crore farmer families across the country.

Under the latest instalment, about 49.59 lakh farmer families in Gujarat are expected to receive more than Rs 1,028 crore directly in their bank accounts.

Referring to the scheme, Patel said that whenever the issue of farmers arises, the Prime Minister has worked with sensitivity for them since his tenure as the chief minister of Gujarat.

“Farming without water is extremely difficult and highlights the role of the Narmada canal network in supplying water to distant regions of the state,” he said.

Patel also referred to electricity supply for agriculture and households, saying work had been done to provide the required electricity for farming as well as power supply for homes.

“Gujarat had undertaken the task of providing electricity round the clock, and that around 96 per cent of farmers in the state now receive electricity during the day,” he noted.

Emphasising water conservation, he said rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge are essential.

“Through the ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign launched by the Prime Minister, storing rainwater is necessary, and it should also be conserved in the ground,” he said.

The Chief Minister said the Gujarat government had allocated Rs 50 lakh to each legislator and advised people to present their concerns to their nearest MLA so that their difficulties could be resolved.

He also appealed to farmers to adopt natural farming practices, stating that “the state’s governor has been visiting villages to explain its benefits to farmers”.

Patel said many illnesses are being seen at a younger age and chemical fertilisers could be one of the reasons, adding that moving towards natural farming is necessary.

“Carbon in the soil is decreasing. Farmers should turn towards natural farming as soon as possible,” he said, adding that increasing green cover is important to address global environmental challenges and encouraging people to plant trees and place nameplates on them.

Under the PM-Kisan scheme, launched in 2019, eligible farmer families receive Rs 6,000 annually in three equal instalments of Rs 2,000 each directly into their bank accounts.

–IANS

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