The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the extension of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) for release of 75 lakh LPG connections over three years from Financial Year 2023-24 to 2025-26. The total financial implication will be Rs.1650 crore for per connection at following rates:
- 14.2 kg Single Bottle Connection – Rs.2200 per connection
- 5 kg Double Bottle Connection – Rs.2200 per connection
- 5 kg Single Bottle Connection – Rs.1300 per connection
As per the existing modalities of Ujjawala 2.0, the first refill and stove will also be provided free of cost to Ujjwala beneficiaries.
A targeted subsidy of Rs.200 per 14.2 kg LPG cylinder for upto 12 refills per year is being provided to PMUY consumers. Without continuation of PMUY, eligible poor households may not be able to get their due benefit under the scheme.
LPG connections to poor households will provide access to clean cooking fuel helps in addressing health problems caused by use of traditional sources of cooking fuel such as fire-wood, coal, cowdung etc. This will in turn enhance productivity of women, raise their quality of life by removing drudgery associated with collection of wood and insure them against non-availability of cooking fuel, at times.
Some eligible households still do not have LPG connection. This is due to multiple reasons – new households are formed every year as a result of rising population, marriages, migration, nuclearlisation of families, left over households, extremely remote locations etc. There is demand for 15 lakh PMUY connections and as on 31.08.2023.
PMUY has been widely praised as a successful social welfare scheme which has majorly contributed to increase in LPG penetration in the country from 62% in 2016 to near saturation now.