How to Get the Benefits of the Ujjwala Scheme: In India, there are millions of people without any gas connection. Especially in northern India, where states like UP, Bihar, etc have millions of people still using wood or kerosene to cook their food.
Keeping this reality in mind the current government decided to launch a scheme called Ujjwala which will provide LPG gas cylinders to poor families in India.
This clean energy will eliminate any need for fossil fuel-based cooking in the country. Now poor, especially women can have a clean source of energy without affecting their health and environment.
With this scheme, India can avoid around 500,000 premature deaths due to unclean cooking fuels.
Apart from empowering rural women, the scheme will also provide employment opportunities to rural youth in the supply chain of cooking gas.
What is Ujjwala Scheme?
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana is a scheme launched by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas that aims to link women from BPL (Below Poverty Line) households to LPG gas connections.
The scheme was originally launched on May 1, 2016, with a target of providing LPG connections to over 50 million households in three years, with the government support of Rs 1600 per connection. The government will bear all the administrative costs of the LPG connection.
Since 2016, more than 11,000 new LPG distribution centers have opened across the country. Since the launch, around 80 million households have benefitted from this scheme.
The government has even allocated Rs 8000 crore for this particular scheme. The scheme was launched through the Oil Marketing Companies like BPCL through their network of Bharatgas distributors across the country.
Under the scheme, more districts will be added for the purposes of city gas distribution.
Ujjwala Scheme 2.0
Ujjwala Scheme 2.0 is the extension of the original Ujjwala scheme launched in 2016. 2.0 Version was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Uttar Pradesh via video conferencing.
The Modi government will deliver around 10 million gas connections to the BLP households, along with a free refill and a stove, as a part of Ujjwala 2.0.
who were left behind in the first phase of the scheme will be covered in the second phase.
Why Ujjwala Scheme?
As I have stated in my intro the need for clean cooking gas not just for health benefits but also for the environment.
Here I would like to elaborate on that.
According to WHO millions die prematurely in India because of household cooking based on fossil fuels. Most of these deaths are due to diseases like heart disease, stroke, chronic pulmonary disease, lung cancer, etc.
Indoor air pollution is also responsible for acute respiratory illnesses in young children.
Other than avoiding health crises, LPG gas also helps in reducing outdoor air pollution. It is estimated that in India, 30% of its outdoor air pollution comes from the household sources like burning kerosene, wood, dung, etc.
a scheme like Ujjwala will help not just mitigate health disasters but also reduce carbon footprint.
Journey from Ujjwala 1.0 to Ujjwala 2.0
Ujjwala 1.0 was launched in 2016 with the goal of giving LPG connections to 50 million women from BPL homes.
Following that year the scheme was expanded to cover women from other poorer groups.
Under the Ujjwala 2.0 scheme, 10 million extra LPG connections will be provided to families who were not eligible for this scheme in the previous phase. This was announced in the Union Budget for FY 21-22.
Under the Ujjwala 2.0 beneficiaries will get a deposit free LPG connection as well as a free first refill and a hotplate.
Moreover under the Ujjwala 2.0 migrants will not be asked to produce ration cards or any address proof.
2.0 will help to achieve the Prime Minister’s goal of universal access to clean cooking gas across India.
Who is it for?
Who are the targeted beneficiaries under this scheme?
Well! They are women belonging to the following categories
- – SC Households
- – ST Households
- – Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin)
- – Most Backward Classes
- – Antyodaya Anna Yojana
- – Tea and Ex Tea Garden Tribes
- – Forest Dwellers
- – People residing in Islands and River Islands
- – SECC Household as per 14 points declaration
The women must be included in the SECC 2011 list or under the above-mentioned seven broad categories.
The scheme benefits BPL women across the country the most.
Benefits of Ujjwala Scheme 2.0
Some of the benefits of this scheme are
The scheme gives BPL households financial assistance of Rs 1600 for each LPG connection, as well as an interest-free loan to purchase a stove and refills from any one of three oil marketing companies.
The first gas cylinder worth Rs 800 is free but consumers have to pay for subsequent cylinders.
The government would also cover the administrative cost of Rs 1600 per connection which includes a cylinder, pressure regulator (Rs 150), handbook, safety hose (Rs 100), Domestic Gas Consumer Card (Rs 25), Inspection/Installation/Demonstration charges (Rs 75) and other items.
Additionally, all beneficiaries will be given the first LPG refill and hotplate both free of cost.
But the most important benefit that I have already mentioned is health and wellness. It will cut down cooking time and a lot of hard work.
How to Register and Apply For Ujjwala Scheme?
The process for registration is very simple and straightforward. Read the following steps
Step 1: Collect the application form offline from the nearest LPG distributor or download it from www.pmuy.gov.in. Fill up the form
Step 2: For online users click on the “Apply For New Ujjwala 2.0 Connection” on the homepage. Three options will be given Indane, Bharat Petroleum, and HP.
Step 3: Choose your connection type – Regular connection or Ujjwala beneficiary connection
Step 4: Applicants can apply to any distributor of their choice and submit the form either at the LPG distributor office or by submitting a request through the online portal.
Step 5: Pay the registration amount online and once the application is submitted it will be processed and a LPG connection will be issued in your name by one of the oil marketing companies.
The paperwork is minimal for Ujjwala 2.0 scheme.
Eligibility Criteria and Documents Required
To avail the Ujjwala 2.0 scheme you must be
- – An Indian Citizen
- – Above the age of 18
- – A Woman from a BPL family who doesn’t have the LPG connection
- – You should not be availing any benefit under any other similar schemes
- – Beneficiaries must be included in the SECC 2011 or BPL household 7 categories mentioned earlier in the article.
Some of the documents required are following
- – BPL certificate issued by the municipality chairman or Panchayat Pradhan
- – Caste Certificate
- – One Passport Sized Photograph
- – Photo identity Proof
- – Address Proof
- – BPL Ration Card
- – Aadhaar Numbers of all the family members
- – Bank Passbook
- – Duly signed 14 point declaration
- – KYC Documents
Contact Information
- For more information, you can contact
- 1906 (LPG Emergency Helpline)
- 1800-2333-5555 (Toll-Free Helpline)
- 1800-266-6696 (Ujjwala Helpline)
I hope after reading the article you will get an idea of what the Ujjwala Scheme is and how you can benefit from it.
I recommend you to visit their website and find more details there.