Explainer - Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

• The government has approved the release of 25 lakh additional free LPG connections to poor women under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) during the financial year 2025-26.

• With this expansion, the total number of PMUY connections will rise to 10.58 crore.

• For this, the government has approved an expenditure of Rs 676 crore, which includes Rs 512.5 crore for providing 25 lakh deposit-free connections at the rate of Rs 2,050 per connection, Rs 160 crore for targeted subsidy of Rs 300 per 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder (for up to nine refills per year, proportionately pro-rated for 5 kg cylinders), and Rs 3.5 crore towards project management and other expenses.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

• Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana was launched with an objective to provide LPG connections to 5 crore women belonging to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families over a period of three years starting from FY 2016-17. 

• The scheme was launched on May 1, 2016 in Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh. 

• Later, the government decided to increase the target from 5 crore to 8 crore to be achieved by FY 2019-20. 

• It further extended the benefit of PMUY to such poor families who have been left out on account of their names not appearing in either the Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC) list or seven other identified categories such as Scheduled Caste (SC) Households, Scheduled Tribe (ST) Households, Most Backward Classes (MBC), beneficiaries of PM Awas Yojana (Gramin), beneficiaries of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), forest dwellers, island/river island people, tea garden/ex-tea garden workers and poor households.

• Under this scheme, the government provides deposit free LPG connection to the adult woman member of BPL family, which includes, security deposit towards cylinder and pressure regulator, Domestic Gas Consumer Card (DGCC Card), suraksha hose and administrative/installation charges. The government bears an expenditure up to Rs 1,600 for every new connection.  

• The target of releasing 8 crore LPG connections under the PMUY scheme was achieved on September 7, 2019, seven months in advance of the target date of March 31, 2020. 

Ujjwala 2.0

• In the Union Budget for 2021-22, provision for an additional one crore LPG connection under the scheme was announced.

• Accordingly, the Ujjwala 2.0 was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh on August 10, 2021 to provide additional one crore LPG connections along with free first refill and stove. 

• Special provision has been made for migrant families to avail new connections using self declaration as proof of address and family declaration under Ujjwala 2.0. 

• The target of one crore additional PMUY connections was achieved in January 2022. Subsequently, the government decided to release 60 lakh more LPG connections and that target was achieved in December 2022.

• Further, the government approved release of additional 75 lakh connections under PMUY scheme which was also achieved by July 2024. 

• As on August 1, 2025, there are 10.33 crore PMUY connections across the country.

Impact of the scheme

• PMUY has majorly contributed to the increase in LPG penetration in the country from 62 per cent in 2016 to near saturation now.

• Providing LPG connections to BPL households will ensure universal coverage of cooking gas in the country. This measure will empower women and protect their health. It will reduce drudgery and the time spent on cooking. It will also provide employment for rural youth in the supply chain of cooking gas.

• PMUY has resulted in a shift from traditional cooking methods that involve burning solid fuels like wood, dung and crop residues. 

• The use of cleaner fuel lowers indoor air pollution, leading to improved respiratory health, particularly among women and children who are traditionally more exposed to household smoke.

• Transition from biomass and traditional fuels to LPG reduces the dependency on wood and other biomass for cooking purposes, leading to a decrease in deforestation and environmental degradation. This benefits not only the households but also contributes to broader environmental conservation efforts.

• With improved cooking facilities, there is a potential positive impact on nutrition. Families may find it easier to cook a variety of nutritious meals, contributing to better overall health.