Why in the News?
New Delhi CM has announced expanding Ujjwala Yojana to families using traditional stoves or coal heaters to improve air quality and promote clean cooking.
About Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY):
- Overview: Introduced in 2016 by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to provide clean cooking fuel (LPG) to poor and rural households.
- Objective: Replace traditional cooking fuels like firewood, dung, and coal with LPG, improving women’s health, reducing indoor pollution, and promoting clean energy.
- Target and Beneficiaries: Initially aimed to provide 8 crore LPG connections to deprived households by March 2020, with each connection issued in the name of an adult woman from the household.
- Financial Support: Government provides ₹1,600 per connection, covering the security deposit, first refill, and stove (hotplate)– all free of cost.
- Subsidy Entitlement: Beneficiaries eligible for up to 12 LPG cylinder subsidies per year (each of 14.2 kg).
- Eligibility Criteria:
- Adult woman from a poor household without an existing LPG connection.
- Must belong to SECC 2011, SC/ST, PMAY, AAY, Forest Dweller, Most Backward Class, or Tea/Ex-Tea Garden Tribe categories.
- Others can apply under “poor household” category by submitting a 14-point self-declaration.
- Application Process: Available both online and offline through oil marketing companies.
- Ujjwala 2.0: Announced in August 2021 to expand coverage by 1 crore new LPG connection, especially targeting migrant workers and urban poor.
- Financial Assistance: Continued ₹1,600 per connection support with a free stove and first gas cylinder; subsequent refills paid by users.
Achievements:
- LPG Coverage Growth: Expanded national LPG coverage from 62% (2016) to 99.8% (April 2021).
- Employment Generation: Created ~1 lakh jobs in the LPG distribution and logistics network.
- COVID-19 Relief: Provided 14 crore free refills to PMUY households under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP).
- Environmental Impact: Significant decline in biomass stove dependence, improving air quality and reducing household emissions.
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