Himachal CM's family uses 'chulha' in village

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur's family in his ancestral home in a remote village in Mandi district is still using a traditional earthen hearth that uses firewood.

"My family in village is using a 'chulha'. They are also having an LPG connection," he said in a reply to a debate on state government's Grihini Suvidha Yojana under Rule 130 in the assembly.

He said the use of 'chulha' exposes people to hazardous pollutants.

"The house normally gets badly damaged with the burning of domestic biomass, the deadliest source of air pollution," he said.

He said under the Himachal Grihini Suvidha Yojana, the government is offering gas cylinder security and gas stoves to those not covered under the Ujjwala Yojana.

The Chief Minister said this scheme brought about a remarkable change in the lives of the people mainly in rural areas and also helps in reducing dependence of natural resources.

The Himachal Grihini Suvidha Yojana is aimed at empowerment of the women and environment conservation.

He said the government is ensuring gas connections to all households which were not been covered under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.

According to him, a package of Rs 3,500 is being provided which includes a gas cylinder and a gas stove.

Seen largely as a low-profile man, first-time Chief Minister Thakur, 53, is from a farming family of Mandi's Seraj area.

He did his post-graduation from Panjab University in Chandigarh and decided to join politics when he was in his 20s.

( With inputs from IANS )