Context

Recently, in reply to an Right to Information (RTI) application, it was revealed that in the financial year 2021-22, 90 lakh beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Scheme did not refill their cylinders. Also, over 1 crore beneficiaries refilled their cylinders only once.

About

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

• PMUY is a programme launched in
• Implementing agency: The implementation of the scheme is under theMinistry of Petroleum and Natural Gas through its Oil Marketing Companies.
• Objective: to distribute LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) connections to the women of low households in India.
• The programme was initially launched with a budget of Rs. 80 billion.
• Initially, five crores BPL (below poverty line)households were targeted through PMUY; the target was achieved by March 31, 2019.
• An additional allocation of Rs 4,800 crore was done, and thetarget was expanded to benefit 80 million low-income families through the scheme.
• Under this scheme, towards an initiative for the loss by Covid-19 outbreak, the Finance Minister of India, announced to provide cylinders free of cost to the BPL families from March 26, 2020, for three months.

Achievements of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

• The Programme helped in increasing the LPG coverage from 62% on 1st May 2016 to 99.8% on 1st April 2021.
• Approx 1 lakh people got employment opportunities through the LPG distribution network.
• As part of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package, more than 14 crores of free LPG cylinder refills were provided to the PMUY beneficiaries during COVID-19.