Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched on May 1, 2016. The scheme was implemented with a target of providing concessional LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) connections to over 50 million below-poverty-line (BPL) families in three years, with government support of Rs 1,600 per connection.
The Ujjwala scheme provided access to cooking gas cylinders without consumers having to pay a deposit to fuel retailers.
For the three years, the government had allocated Rs 8,000 crore and the LPG connections were issued in the name of the women. The cooking fuel scheme was introduced by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas through oil marketing companies i.e., IOC, HPCL and BPCL through their network of distributors across the country. The scheme was conceptualised by former petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Since 2016, more than 11,000 new LPG distribution centres have opened across the country.
Eventually, the scheme was expanded in April 2018 to include women beneficiaries from seven more categories (SC/ST, PMAY, AAY, most backward classes, tea garden, forest dwellers, islands).
PMUY scheme aims to provide clean-cooking fuel to the poor households vulnerable to various health hazards associated with indoor air pollution and to bring in qualitative changes in the living standards of BPL families. Beneficiaries are identified through Socio-Economic Caste Census List 2011.
This was for the first time in the history of India that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas implemented a welfare scheme benefitting millions of women belonging to rural households.
What is Ujjwala 2.0?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the second phase of the Ujjwala cooking gas scheme on August 10, 2021. Ujjwala 2.0 now aims to cover 10 million more beneficiaries in the second phase of the scheme.
In the Union Budget for the financial year 2021-22, provision for an additional 10 million LPG connections under the PMUY scheme was announced.
Benefits of Ujjwala 2.0
Under Ujjwala 2.0, migrant workers can avail a free cooking gas connection on the basis of a self-declaration without any need for documents like address proof. Ujjwala 2.0 aims to provide deposit-free LPG connections to low-income families who could not be covered under the first phase of PMUY.
Along with deposit-free access to LPG supplies, the beneficiaries will also be provided with a stove (hotplate) free of cost. Under the scheme, the first gas cylinder is free worth over Rs 800, but consumers need to pay for subsequent cylinders.
Cash assistance worth Rs 1,600 for a PMUY connection is provided by the government. The cash assistance covers a security deposit of cylinder, pressure regulator, LPG hose, domestic gas consumer card, and inspection/installation/demonstration charges.
How to apply for PM Ujjwala Yogna 2.0?
The enrollment procedure for Ujjwala 2.0 will require minimal paperwork where migrants will not be required to submit address proofs or ration cards, only a self-declaration for family and a 'proof of address' will be essential. Here are the mandatory criteria to apply for Ujjwala 2.0:
* Only a woman can be an applicant
* Must be listed under a BPL family in any category
* Applicant must have attained 18 years of age
* Bank account number and IFSC code
* There should not be any other LPG connections in the same household
* Ujjwala connection mandatory to be eKYC.
* Applicant's Aadhaar card and BPL ration card as proof of identity
* Supplementary KYC to support status of the family
Steps to apply for Ujjwala 2.0
* Visit the official portal pmuy.gov.in
* Click on 'Apply For New Ujjwala 2.0 Connection' on the homepage
* Three options of oil marketing companies will be given namely; Indane, Bharat Petroleum, and HP
* Choose your 'Connection Type': Regular Connection Registration or Ujjwala Beneficiary Connection
* Applicants can apply to any distributor of their choice either by submitting application to the distributor or by submitting a request through online portal
* Pay the registration amount online through any secure payment gateway
