The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, approved the extension of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) for provision of 75 lakh LPG connections in three years from financial year 2023-24 to 2025-26. The total financial implication will be Rs.1650 crore per connection at the following rates:
- 14.2kg single bottle connection – Rs.2200 per connection
- 5kg Double Bottle Connection – Rs.2200 per connection
- 5kg single bottle connection – Rs.1300 per connection
As per the existing arrangements of Ujjawala 2.0, the first recharge and stove will also be provided free of charge to Ujjwala beneficiaries.
PMUY consumers are provided a targeted subsidy of Rs.200 per 14.2 kg LPG cylinder for up to 12 refills per year. Without the continuation of the PMUY, eligible poor families may not be able to obtain their due benefits under the program.
LPG connections to poor families will provide access to clean fuel for cooking, helping to address health problems caused by the use of traditional sources of cooking fuel such as firewood, charcoal, cow dung, etc. This in turn will increase women’s productivity, increase their quality of life. lives by removing the drudgery associated with gathering wood and, at times, insuring them against non-availability of fuel for cooking.
Some eligible families do not yet have LPG connections. This is due to multiple reasons: new families are formed every year as a result of population growth, marriages, migration, nuclearization of families, remaining nuclear families, extremely remote locations, etc. There is demand for 15 lakh PMUY connections and as of 31.08. 2023.
The PMUY has been widely praised as a successful social welfare program that has significantly contributed to increasing LPG penetration in the country from 62% in 2016 to near saturation today.
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DS/SK