Why is it in the news?
- Recently, the Union Cabinet has decided to increase the LPG subsidy for Ujjwala beneficiaries to ₹300 per cylinder. This additional subsidy of ₹100 benefits 9.6 crore Ujjwala beneficiaries.
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)
About
- Launched by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MOPNG) in 2016.
- Aims to provide clean cooking fuel (LPG) to rural and deprived households.
- Addresses the use of traditional cooking fuels like firewood, coal, cow-dung cakes, etc.
- Aims to improve the health of rural women and reduce environmental impact.
Objectives
- Empower women and protect their health.
- Reduce deaths in India due to unclean cooking fuel.
- Prevent acute respiratory illnesses in children due to indoor air pollution.
Features
- Provides financial support of Rs 1600 for each LPG connection to BPL households.
- Offers a deposit-free LPG connection.
- Provides the first refill and a hotplate free of cost to beneficiaries.
Benefits
- Eligible beneficiaries receive a free LPG connection.
- Subsidy on the first six refills of 14.2 kg cylinders or eight refills of 5 kg cylinders.
- Option for EMI facility for stove and first refill costs.
- Option to join the PAHAL scheme for direct subsidy transfer to bank accounts.
Phases
Phase I (May 1, 2016)
- Target: Release 8 Crore LPG Connections by March 2020.
- Result: LPG coverage increased from 62% (May 2016) to 99.8% (April 2021).
Ujjwala 2.0:
- Additional 1 crore LPG connections targeted by March 31, 2022.
- Achievement: Additional 1.6 Crore LPG Connections released by December 2022.