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Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)
The Prime Minister’s Ujjwala Scheme (PMUY) was initiated by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 1, 2016, with the aim of providing 50 million LPG connections to women from Below Poverty Line (BPL) households. A budget of ₹80 billion (US$1.0 billion) was allocated for the implementation of this scheme. In 2021, the Ujjwala Scheme 2.0 was introduced, succeeding the original initiative.
Overview
Ujjwala Yojana: Transforming LPG Access in India
Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 1, 2016, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) has emerged as a pivotal initiative to enhance LPG accessibility in India.
Key Achievements and Milestones:
- Exceeding Targets: In its inaugural year, the scheme surpassed expectations, distributing 22 million connections against the set target of 15 million.
- Inclusive Distribution: As of October 23, 2017, 30 million connections had been distributed, with 44% benefiting families from scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
- Widened Scope: The scheme’s success led to an expansion in the 2018 Union Budget, encompassing 80 million poor households.
- Awareness Campaigns: Oil marketing companies conducted 21,000 awareness camps, contributing to the scheme’s outreach.
- Consumption Surge: The initiative catalyzed a remarkable 56% increase in LPG consumption in 2019 compared to 2014.
- Regional Impact: Ujjwala Yojana significantly benefited over 14.6 million BPL families in Uttar Pradesh, 8.8 million in West Bengal, 8.5 million in Bihar, 7.1 million in Madhya Pradesh, 6.3 million in Rajasthan, and 3.24 million in Tamil Nadu.
- Continued Expansion: On September 7, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed a fuel cylinder to the 8th crore beneficiary. In the Union Budget of 2021–2022, the government announced an additional 1 crore connections under the scheme.
- Technological Impact: The Prime Minister emphasized the role of technology at the 107th Indian Science Congress in January 2020, highlighting its contribution to identifying beneficiaries and planning distribution centers.
- Health Impact: National Family Health Surveys indicate a substantial improvement in access to cleaner cooking fuels due to PMUY.
- Impressive Growth: Access to cleaner fuel saw a sevenfold increase, from 0.8% in rural areas before 2015 to 5.6% after 2015.
- High Penetration: India’s gas cylinder penetration surged from 62% in May 2016 to an impressive 99.8% by April 1, 2021.
On the 10th of August, 2021, at 12:30 PM, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate Ujjwala 2.0 (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana – PMUY) through a virtual event. The launch will take place in Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh, where the Prime Minister will remotely distribute LPG connections. Additionally, during the ceremony, he will engage with Ujjwala beneficiaries and deliver a national address.
In the initial phase of Ujjwala 1.0, launched in 2016, the objective was to furnish LPG connections to 5 crore women from Below Poverty Line (BPL) households. Subsequently, the program was broadened in April 2018 to include women beneficiaries from seven additional categories (SC/ST, PMAY, AAY, Most Backward Classes, tea garden, forest dwellers, Islands). The target was also revised to encompass 8 Crore LPG connections, a milestone achieved in August 2019, seven months ahead of schedule.
The journey from Ujjwala 1.0 to Ujjwala 2.0
In the Union budget for the fiscal year 2021-22, an allocation for an additional one crore LPG connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana PMUY scheme was announced. These extra connections, part of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana 2.0, aim to provide deposit-free LPG connections to low-income families not covered in the initial phase of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). Under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana 2.0, beneficiaries will receive a deposit-free LPG connection, along with the first refill and a free hotplate. The enrollment process will be streamlined, requiring minimal paperwork. Notably, migrants won’t need to submit ration cards or address proof; a self-declaration for both ‘family declaration’ and ‘proof of address’ will be sufficient. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana 2.0 is aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of ensuring universal access to LPG.
The event marking the launch of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana 2.0 will be graced by the presence of the Union Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister and the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
Ujjwala Scheme II: A Continued Commitment
Building on the success of the initial scheme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Ujjwala Scheme II on August 10, 2021, targeting an additional 1 crore families previously unreached by the program. The journey of Ujjwala Yojana reflects a transformative impact on the lives of millions, illuminating a path towards cleaner and healthier cooking practices across the nation.
Eligibility Criteria:
- The applicant, limited to women, must have reached the age of 18.
- No other Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) connection from any Oil Marketing Company (OMC) should be present in the same household.
Eligible Categories for Adult Women:
- Women belonging to any of the following categories are encouraged to apply:
- Scheduled Castes (SC)
- Scheduled Tribes (ST)
- Beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin)
- Most Backward Classes (MBC)
- Recipients of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)
- Tea and Ex-Tea Garden tribes
- Forest Dwellers
- People residing in Islands and River Islands
- Enlisted under Socio-Economic and Caste Census Households (AHL TIN)
- Any household identified as poor as per the 14-point declaration.
- Women belonging to any of the following categories are encouraged to apply:
Documents required
- Know Your Customer(KYC)
- Aadhaar Card of applicant as Proof of Identity and Proof of Address in case applicant is residing at the same address as mentioned in Aadhaar (not mandatory for Assam and Meghalaya).
- Ration Card issued by the State from which application is being made/ other State Govt. document certifying family composition/ Self-Declaration as per Annexure I (for migrant applicants)
- Aadhaar of beneficiary and adult family members appearing in document at Sl. 3.
- Bank Account Number and IFSC
- Supplementary KYC to support status of the family.
Candidates have the flexibility to apply to any preferred distributor by either submitting their application directly at the distributor’s office or by submitting a request through the online portal
