Recently, the Prime Minister initiated the second phase of the highly anticipated Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), also known as the Ujjwala 2.0 Scheme. The PM also expressed interest in the potential of “gobar dhan”, which involves harnessing cow dung for energy production. This topic was brought to light particularly on World Bio Fuel Day, which falls on the 10th of August. PMUY is a strategic part of India’s plan to transition into a $5 trillion economy by 2024.
Initial Stages of PMUY: PMUY-I and PMUY-II
The first phase of PMUY was introduced in May 2016 with an aim to provide LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) connections to poor households. As for the second phase—PMUY-II—it was designed specifically for migrants living in other states who might struggle to provide proof of residence. From now onwards, these individuals can avail the benefits of the scheme through a simple “Self Declaration”.
Objectives of PMUY
The scheme was primarily formulated with the intent of empowering women and protecting their health. It aimed to decrease death rates resulting from the usage of unclean cooking fuel. One of its fundamental objectives is to shield young children from acute respiratory illnesses triggered by indoor air pollution produced by fossil fuel combustion.
Features and Targets of PMUY
The programme grants a financial backing of Rs 1600 per LPG connection to households Below Poverty Line (BPL). In addition to a free LPG connection, Ujjwala 2.0 offers the first refill and a hotplate free of cost to the beneficiaries. The first phase, Ujjwala 1.0, set a target of extending LPG connections to 50 million women from BPL households by March 2020. However, in 2018, this scope was expanded to include women from seven other categories.
Achievements and Challenges with PMUY
The first phase of PMUY resulted in free cooking gas connections being issued to 8 crore impoverished families, including those from Dalit and tribal communities. However, despite these achievements, the scheme is challenged with some issues like low consumption of refills and system anomalies such as identification of the intended beneficiaries.
Moving Forward with PMUY
To further improve and expand the reach of the scheme, it should be extended to disadvantaged households in urban and semi-urban slum areas. Furthermore, a more effective approach for identifying eligible beneficiaries needs to be implemented. A possible strategy could involve requiring Aadhaar numbers of all adult family members of existing as well as new beneficiaries. This will help ensure that the benefits of the scheme reach the right households.