Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said that under the Centre's Ujjwala 2.0 scheme, free LPG connections are being provided to improve women's lives.

The CM made this remark while interacting with the beneficiaries of the scheme in the state's 10 districts.

Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav, however, sought to counter it, saying this scheme has turned out to be one heralding "mehnga indhan, bekar jeevan" (costly fuel, worse life) contrary to its slogan 'swacch indhan, behtar jeevan" (clean fuel, better life).

While interacting with beneficiaries via video conferencing from Hardoi, Amethi, Raebareli, Banda, Sonbhadra and other districts, the chief minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving such a scheme and improving the living conditions of women.

He said with women accessing the LPG cylinders, they will not have to face problems in their eyes and it will also reduce the cutting of trees.

Ujjawala 2.0 was launched by Prime Minister Modi on August 10 from the Mahoba district of the state.

He said in this phase of the scheme, 20 lakh people will be given free LPG connections in 10 districts of the state.

Reacting to the CM's statement, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said here in a statement that the second phase was started just before the assembly elections only to betray people.

"This scheme has turned out to be "mehnga indhan bekar jeevan" (costly fuel, worse life) contrary to its slogan 'swacch indhan, behtar jeevan" (clean fuel, better life)."

Contrary to the government's claims in advertisements, the reality is that "cylinders have become showpiece" to the steep hike in LPG prices.

He claimed that 78 per cent of the beneficiaries of this scheme have once again started cooking on traditional "chulha" (stove lit by wood).

"The scheme is merely a conspiracy and part of the BJP's election agenda," he said.