The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) scheme was launched in 2016 to provide LPG connections to women from below poverty line (BPL) households. The scheme aims to provide 5 crore LPG connections over 3 years with financial support of Rs. 1600 per connection. It aims to empower women by reducing indoor air pollution and the time spent on cooking. As of March 2018, over 3.45 crore BPL families have benefited, with Uttar Pradesh providing the most connections. However, the scheme has faced issues with many beneficiaries not being able to afford refills after the initial cylinder.

2. Pradhan Mantri UjjwalaYojana was launched by
Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on
May 1st, 2016 in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh.
Under this scheme, 5 Cr LPG connections will be
provided to BPL families with a support of
Rs.1600 per connection in the next 3 years.

3. SALIENT FEATURES

4. NEED
 According to WHO estimates, about 5
lakhs deaths in India alone due to unclean
cooking fuels.
 Experts say an open fire in the kitchen is
like burning 400 cigarettes an hour.

5.  In India, the spread of LPG cylinders has
been predominantly in the urban and
semi-urban areas with the coverage mostly
in middle class and affluent households.
 Providing LPG connections to BPL
households will ensure universal coverage
of cooking gas in the country

6.  This measure will empower women and
protect their health. It will reduce drudgery
and the time spent on cooking.
 It will also provide employment for rural
youth in the supply chain of cooking gas.

7. ELIGIBILITY
1. The age of Applicant should be more than 18 yr’s.
2. The women applicant should be a BPL card holder
3. The women applicant must have an account in the
nationalized bank across the country .
4. The applicants household should not hold any
other LPG connection in any other member’s name
5. Applicant women’s name should not be in list of
SECC-2011 data

8. TARGET BENEFICIARIES
1. Beneficiaries listed in the SECC 2011
list
2. All SC/STs households beneficiaries
of Pradhan Mantri Awas
Yojana(PMAY) (Gramin)
3. Antyoday Anna Yojana (AAY)
4. Forest dwellers
5. Most Backward Classes (MBC)
6. Tea & Ex-Tea Garden Tribes
7. People residing in Islands
8. People residing in river islands.

9. Release of LPG connection under this
scheme shall be in the name of the
women belonging to the BPL family.

10. GiveItUp CAMPAIGN
 To encourage ‘well off’ consumers to
voluntarily surrender LPG subsidy in the
year 2015
 Against each ‘GiveItUp’ consumer, one
security deposit free connection is given to
BPL family

11. •On the overall progress of the scheme as
on March 2018, around 3,45,95,559 BPL
families have been benefited out this
scheme covering almost 712 districts.
•UP tops the list with 64 Lakhs connections

12. DEMERITS
 It has made the availability of LPG more
easier than ever but it also encountered a
number of problems along
 Many of the beneficiaries of the scheme
have not opted for refills after the first LPG
connection was exhausted because refilling
cost is close to Rs.450

13.  PMUY beneficiary are paid for the LPG
cylinder and the first refill in installments
but the facility cannot be availed since
second refill onwards.
 Recently steps have been taken to tackle
this issue with the Oil Marketing
Companies (OMCs) deferring loans till the
sixth refill of the PMUY beneficiary only if
the LPG cylinder is the first one that they
bought.

14.  The success stories of the scheme have been
spread far and wide by the government but
the truth is that the increase in usage of LPG
connection in below poverty line households
is not a huge number.
 If the years 2015–16 and 2016–17 are
compared, the increase in the LPG
consumption was only 0.8% and the increase
in LPG customers was recorded at 6%.

15.  Although it has made the availability of LPG
more easier than ever but it also encountered a
number of problems along the way such as the
refilling issue which was mentioned earlier.
 The scheme has also proved to be successful
for the (BJP) as it helped them stake a clean
sweep in the legislative assembly elections in
Uttar Pradesh.
Overall the initiative taken by the Government
can be lauded despite the many difficulties it
has faced.
CONCLUSION