Source: TH
Context: The Government has approved the continuation of a ₹300 per LPG cylinder subsidy for Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) beneficiaries in FY 2025–26.
About Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY):
What It Is?
- A flagship social welfare scheme to provide deposit-free LPG connections to women from economically weaker households.
- Aims to replace hazardous traditional cooking fuels with clean energy for health, environment, and gender empowerment.
Launched In: May 2016, Ballia (Uttar Pradesh).
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG).
Objectives:
- Ensure universal access to clean cooking fuel.
- Reduce indoor air pollution and related health hazards.
- Empower rural women by reducing drudgery and improving quality of life.
- Promote environmental conservation by reducing deforestation and carbon emissions.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Adult women from Below Poverty Line (BPL) households.
- Identified through Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data.
- Special provision for migrant families without address proof under PMUY 2.0.
Achievements:
- PMUY 1.0: Target of 8 crore connections by March 2020 – achieved ahead of schedule.
- PMUY 2.0: Additional 1.6 crore connections for migrant households.
- Latest Expansion: Additional 75 lakh connections, taking total target to 10.35 crore beneficiaries.
Key Features of PMUY:
- Deposit-free LPG connection to eligible households – Beneficiaries receive an LPG connection without paying the initial security deposit, reducing entry barriers for poor households.
- Financial support for stove purchase – The government provides monetary assistance for buying a cooking stove, ensuring the connection is ready for immediate use.
- Targeted subsidy of ₹300 per cylinder – PMUY families get a ₹300 subsidy per 14.2 kg cylinder (proportionately for 5 kg cylinders) for up to nine refills annually, making clean fuel more affordable.
- Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to beneficiaries’ accounts – Subsidy amounts are directly credited to beneficiaries’ bank accounts, ensuring transparency and eliminating leakages.
- Swachh Indhan Behtar Jeevan – The scheme promotes cleaner fuel to improve women’s health, reduce indoor air pollution, and encourage sustainable cooking practices.
