Why in news?
The government has announced the continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) with additional subsidies for poor households. The scheme has provided liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) connections to millions of women since its launch in 2016.
Objectives
- PMUY aims to replace traditional biomass cooking fuels with clean LPG, thereby improving women’s health and reducing indoor air pollution.
- It also seeks to empower women by giving them access to modern energy and reducing time spent collecting firewood.
Eligibility and benefits
- Beneficiaries are identified using the Socio‑Economic and Caste Census. Priority is given to households where the woman is the head or where members belong to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes or other economically disadvantaged groups.
- The scheme provides a free LPG connection, a subsidised stove and a grant to cover the first refill. Ongoing subsidies on refills lower the price of LPG cylinders.
Impact
- Over 10 crore connections have been distributed. Indoor air pollution has declined, and women spend less time on cooking fuel collection.
- However, high refill costs and irregular delivery in remote areas have affected sustained use.
Challenges and way forward
- Ensuring last‑mile delivery, especially in hilly and remote regions, requires better distribution networks.
- Raising awareness about health benefits and training women on safe cylinder use can increase adoption.
- Subsidies should be targeted to low‑income households while encouraging wealthier users to pay market prices.