Why in the news?

  • The Centre on Monday sanctioned 25 lakh  additional LPG connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) during the current financial year.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

  • Launched: May 1, 2016 at Ballia (Uttar Pradesh).
  • Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
  • Objective: Provide clean cooking fuel (LPG) to rural and deprived households, replacing unclean fuels like firewood, coal, dung cakes.
  • Features:
    • Beneficiaries: Women from Below Poverty Line (BPL) households.
    • Identification: Based on Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC-2011) data, Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), Forest dwellers, SC/ST households, PMAY-Gramin, Tea/Chai workers, etc.
    • Financial Assistance: ₹1,600 per LPG connection (including deposit of cylinder, pressure regulator, safety hose, etc.).
    • Target: Initially 5 crore connections (achieved in 2018); later enhanced to 8 crore by 2021.
    • PMUY 2.0 (August 2021):
      • Additional 1 crore connections (now extended further).
      • Provision for free first refill and stove.
      • Focus on migrants (self-declaration accepted without address proof).
  • Significance:
    • Health Benefits: Reduced indoor air pollution, respiratory diseases, eye problems.
    • Women’s Empowerment: Time saved from collecting firewood; reduced drudgery; enhanced dignity.
    • Environment: Reduces deforestation, carbon emissions, and black carbon soot.
    • Social Impact: Women as direct beneficiaries; contributes to SDG-3 (Good Health), SDG-5 (Gender Equality), SDG-7 (Clean Energy).
  • Challenges:
    • Refill Affordability: High refill cost → low refill rates, many reverting to biomass.
    • Awareness Gap: Some households continue traditional fuels alongside LPG.
    • Supply Chain: Accessibility issues in remote/rural areas.
    • Safety Concerns: Need for better awareness on safe LPG usage.