Pratidin
Society, justice and ethicsSchemes2016

PM Ujjwala Yojana

LPG connections for women in poor households.

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Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Aimed at replacing solid cooking fuels.

Cooking with firewood in Guatemala.
Cooking with firewood in Guatemala. gringologue, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Practise this in the app: flashcards, quiz and a timed answer
Prelims

Quick recall

When was Ujjwala launched?
1 May 2016.
In whose name are connections issued?
Adult women of the household.
What was Ujjwala 2.0?
A 2021 phase with more connections and easier documentation for migrants.
Which ministry runs it?
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
What is the main challenge?
Low refill rates due to cost.
What health problem does it address?
Household air pollution from solid fuels.

Asked before in UPSC

Recurring theme: Clean cooking energy access and subsidy targeting

Mains
  1. 2022 · GS3 · 15 marks

    Do you think India will meet 50 percent of its energy needs from renewable energy by 2030? Justify your answer. How will the shift of subsidies from fossil fuels to renewables help achieve the above objective? Explain.

    LPG subsidy for Ujjwala households is a fossil fuel subsidy with health and gender gains; weigh it in any subsidy-shift argument.

  2. 2018 · GS3 · 10 marks

    "Access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy is the sine qua non to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)". Comment on the progress made in India in this regard.

    Ujjwala's LPG connections are India's main clean cooking intervention under SDG 7; add refill affordability as the weak link.

  3. 2015 · GS3 · 12.5 marks

    In what way could the replacement of price subsidy with direct benefit Transfer (DBT) change the scenario of subsidies in India? Discuss.

    LPG subsidy via DBT (PAHAL) and the Give It Up campaign preceded Ujjwala and show the move from price subsidy to targeted support.

  4. 2013 · GS2 · 10 marks

    Electronic cash transfer system for the welfare schemes is an ambitious project to minimize corruption, eliminate wastage and facilitate reforms. Comment.

    Cash transfer of the LPG subsidy was one of the early large DBT programmes, the base on which targeted connections for poor women were built.

The basics

Why it matters

PM Ujjwala Yojana, launched in 2016, gives free LPG connections to women from poor households, to replace smoky solid fuels that harm health.

2016
Launch year of Ujjwala
Launched on 1 May 2016 in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh.

The refill problem

Connections rose fast, but regular use lags.

From connection to use
  1. 1Free connectionIssued in a woman's name.
  2. 2First refillOften subsidised.
  3. 3Refill costThe main barrier for poor families.
  4. 4Targeted subsidyExtra subsidy per cylinder for Ujjwala users.

You now know

  • Launched on 1 May 2016.
  • Free LPG connections in the name of adult women of poor households.
  • Ujjwala 2.0 (2021) added migrant-friendly provisions.
  • Refill rates remain a challenge.

Go deeper

In one line: Ujjwala gave poor women LPG connections, but sustained use depends on affordable refills.

Why it matters for UPSC

It links health, gender and energy access.

The core idea

Cooking on wood and dung causes Household air pollution, hurting women and children most. Access is solved by connections; use depends on Clean cooking being affordable.

Where to go next

In one line: Ujjwala solved access, and refill affordability decides its impact.

Evidence

Many households stack fuels, using both LPG and firewood.

Fixes

Targeted refill subsidies, smaller cylinders and awareness of health effects of Household air pollution. See Clean cooking.

Where to go next

Household air pollution

Smoke from cooking fuels

In one line: Household air pollution comes from burning solid fuels for cooking and heating.

Health effects

Lung disease, heart disease and child pneumonia.

Who suffers

Women and young children most.

Where to go next

Clean cooking

Access to modern cooking energy

In one line: Clean cooking means using fuels such as LPG, electricity or biogas that produce little smoke.

Barriers

Cost, supply and habits.

Global goal

SDG 7 includes universal access to clean cooking.

Where to go next

Prelims-style quiz

  1. PM Ujjwala Yojana provides LPG connections in the name of:

    1. Adult women
    2. Children
    3. Any adult
    4. The head of the household
    Show answer

    Answer: (a) Adult women. Adult women.

  2. Consider the following:
    1. Ujjwala was launched in 2016.
    2. Refill rates have been a challenge.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Show answer

    Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2. Both are correct.

  3. Ujjwala is implemented by the Ministry of:

    1. Health
    2. Women and Child Development
    3. Rural Development
    4. Petroleum and Natural Gas
    Show answer

    Answer: (d) Petroleum and Natural Gas. Petroleum and Natural Gas.

  4. Ujjwala mainly aims to reduce:

    1. Household air pollution
    2. Noise pollution
    3. Water pollution
    4. Soil erosion
    Show answer

    Answer: (a) Household air pollution. Household air pollution from cooking.

Syllabus

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