Daily Current Affairs : 16-September-2023
The Union Cabinet’s recent approval of the extension of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) marks a significant step towards enhancing the well-being of millions of households in India. This essay explores the key dimensions of the PMUY scheme, the challenges faced during its implementation, and the introduction of Ujjwala 2.0, which aims to further expand access to clean cooking fuel.
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Scheme
Launched for Clean Cooking
The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Scheme, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 1, 2016, operates under the slogan “Clean Fuel, Better Life.” Its primary objective is to protect the health of women and children by providing them with clean cooking fuel, specifically LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), thus eliminating the health risks linked to smoky kitchens and firewood collection.
Implementing Agency and Budget
This scheme falls under the purview of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas and initially received an allocation of Rs 8,000 crore.
Key Features of PMUY
The PMUY scheme originally targeted providing 5 crore LPG connections to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, with Rs 1600 support per connection over three years (2016-19). Later, this target was expanded to 8 crore LPG connections in April 2018. Notably, connections are registered in the names of women within households.
Eligibility & Identification
Initially open to all BPL families, any adult woman from such a family could apply for a deposit-free LPG gas connection. In April 2018, this was further extended to include women beneficiaries from seven additional categories, such as SC/ST, PMAY, AAY, most backward classes, tea garden, forest dwellers, and river islands. The identification of BPL families relied on the Socio-Economic Caste Census Data from 2011.
Challenges in Implementing the PMUY Scheme
1. Data Accuracy
A significant challenge was the accuracy of data. The SECC-2011 data, although used for identification, was not entirely reliable, leading to some deserving households being excluded during fieldwork.
2. Inaccurate BPL Classification
The SECC-2011 data revealed cases where relatively affluent households were incorrectly classified as Below Poverty Line (BPL) households, complicating the validation process.
3. Awareness and Documentation
Many beneficiaries lacked awareness of LPG safety requirements, and some households lacked essential documents like ration cards and Aadhaar cards, necessary for availing scheme benefits.
4. Challenges in Distributorships
Certain regions, especially those affected by law and order issues or designated as forested areas, faced difficulties in setting up LPG distributorships, limiting the scheme’s reach.
Performance of Ujjwala Scheme (Phase-I)
Despite these challenges, the release of 8 crore LPG connections under the scheme significantly increased LPG coverage, rising from 62% in May 2016 to an impressive 99.8% by April 2021. States like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan have witnessed substantial benefits from the scheme.
Ujjwala 2.0 Scheme
In the Union budget for FY 21-22, provisions were made for an additional 1 crore LPG connections under Ujjwala 2.0. This phase introduces special facilities for migrant families, simplifying the process by eliminating the need for ration cards or address proof, relying instead on self-declaration for family details and proof of address.
As of March 1, 2023, the total number of connections released under PMUY reached 9.59 crore, and the number of active domestic LPG consumers has surged from 14.52 crore in April 2014 to 31.4 crore by March 2023, highlighting the program’s impact on transforming the lives of millions of Indians.
Important Points:
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Scheme (PMUY)
- Launched in 2016 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide clean cooking fuel (LPG) to improve the health of women and children.
- Implemented by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas with an initial budget of Rs 8,000 crore.
- Initially aimed to provide 5 crore LPG connections to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families but later increased to 8 crore connections.
- Connections are registered in the names of women within households.
- Open to all BPL families, with expanded eligibility in 2018 to include additional categories.
- Identification of BPL families is based on the Socio-Economic Caste Census Data from 2011.
Challenges in Implementing PMUY
- Challenges included inaccurate data, BPL classification, awareness, and documentation issues.
- Data accuracy was a problem, leading to deserving households being excluded.
- Inaccurate BPL classification caused complications in the validation process.
- Many beneficiaries lacked awareness of LPG safety requirements.
- Some households lacked essential documents like ration cards and Aadhaar cards.
- Setting up LPG distributorships was challenging in certain regions.
Performance of Ujjwala Scheme (Phase-I)
- PMUY significantly increased LPG coverage, rising from 62% in May 2016 to 99.8% by April 2021.
- Several states, including Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, benefited substantially.
Ujjwala 2.0 Scheme
- Introduced to provide an additional 1 crore LPG connections.
- Special facilities for migrant families, eliminating the need for ration cards or address proof.
- As of March 1, 2023, the total number of connections released under PMUY reached 9.59 crore.
- The number of active domestic LPG consumers increased from 14.52 crore in April 2014 to 31.4 crore by March 2023.
Why In News
The Union Cabinet’s recent approval of the extension of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) to provide 75 lakh LPG connections over the course of three years, from FY 23-24 to FY 25-26, will significantly contribute to the program’s success. This expansion will empower an additional 75 lakh households, pushing the total number of beneficiaries under PMUY to an impressive 10.35 crore, marking a significant milestone in ensuring access to clean cooking fuel for millions of families across India.
MCQs about PMUY and Ujjwala 2.0
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What is the primary objective of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Scheme (PMUY)?
A. To improve the health of women and children by providing clean cooking fuel.
B. To promote the use of electric stoves for cooking.
C. To build more roads in rural areas.
D. To provide free healthcare to rural families.
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What is the significance of Ujjwala 2.0 in the context of PMUY?
A. It aims to reduce the budget allocation for LPG connections.
B. It simplifies the process for migrant families to obtain connections.
C. It targets urban households for LPG connections.
D. It eliminates LPG connections for existing beneficiaries.
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Which ministry is responsible for implementing the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)?
A. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
B. Ministry of Women and Child Development
C. Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
D. Ministry of Rural Development
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