Launched on: 1st May 2016
By: Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Ministry: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Objective: To provide LPG (cooking gas) connections to women from Below Poverty Line (BPL) households.
🔹 Main Aim
The goal of Ujjwala Yojana is to:
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Reduce health hazards caused by indoor air pollution due to use of firewood, coal, or dung cakes.
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Provide clean cooking fuel (LPG) to poor families, especially in rural and remote areas.
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Empower women by improving their health, safety, and convenience.
🔹 Key Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Target Beneficiaries | Women from BPL families (later expanded to include SC/ST, forest dwellers, most backward classes, etc.) |
| LPG Connection Provided | Free LPG connection in the name of the woman in the household |
| Subsidy | Financial support of ₹1600 per connection (for security deposit, pressure regulator, hose, etc.) |
| EMI Facility | Option to buy stove and refill cylinders on EMI basis (subsidy adjusted against future refills) |
| DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) | LPG subsidy is directly transferred to beneficiary’s bank account |
🔹 Phases of Ujjwala Yojana
Ujjwala 1.0 (2016–2021)
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Target: 8 crore LPG connections
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Achieved: Over 8 crore connections distributed
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Beneficiaries included BPL families identified through SECC (Socio-Economic Caste Census) data
Ujjwala 2.0 (Launched in August 2021)
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Focused on migrants and urban poor
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Additional features:
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Free first refill
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Free hotplate (stove)
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Simplified paperwork for migrants with no address proof
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🔹 Impact of Ujjwala Yojana
✅ Reduced indoor pollution, leading to fewer respiratory illnesses, especially among women and children
✅ Improved quality of life for rural women
✅ Helped reduce deforestation and air pollution
✅ Boosted LPG penetration in India (especially rural areas) from ~55% (2014) to over 99% (2023)
✅ Created employment in LPG distribution chain