BackPM Modi to launch Ujjwala 2.0 from Mahoba in UP on 10 August
The scheme, launched on 1 May 2016, aims to safeguard the health of women and children and lays the basis for a fundamental material transformation at the bottom of the pyramid by covering 715 districts
PremiumNew Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch Ujjwala 2.0 that provides free cooking gas connections to poor families by handling over domestic LPG cylinder connections at Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh on 10 August.
This comes in the run-up to the UP state assembly elections. The scheme launched from Ballia in UP is said to have played a major role in Bharatiya Janata Party’s stupendous victory in the state assembly elections in March 2017.
“In the Union budget for FY 21-22, provision for an additional one crore LPG connection under the PMUY (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana) scheme was announced. These one crore additional PMUY connections (under Ujjwala 2.0) aim to provide deposit-free LPG connections to those low-income families who could not be covered under the earlier phase of PMUY," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Sunday.
The scheme, launched on 1 May 2016, aims to safeguard the health of women and children and lays the basis for a fundamental material transformation at the bottom of the pyramid by covering 715 districts. A cash assistance is given to the beneficiaries to get a deposit-free new connection thereby helping improve energy access. Also, the connections are given in the name of the women heads of the households.
“Along with a deposit free LPG connection, Ujjwala 2.0 will provide first refill and hotplate free of cost to the beneficiaries. Also, the enrollment procedure will require minimum paperwork. In Ujjwala 2.0, migrants will not be required to submit ration cards or address proof. A self-declaration for both ‘family declaration’ and as a ‘proof of address’ will suffice. Ujjwala 2.0 will help achieve the Prime Minister’s vision of universal access to LPG," the statement added.
India has 28.74 crore LPG consumers as on 1 January 2021, with the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, a government programme that aims to provide free cooking gas connections to poor families increasing India’ LPG coverage to 99.5% on 1 January this year from 61.9 % as on 1 April 2016.
“During Ujjwala 1.0 launched in 2016, a target was set to provide LPG connections to 5 crore women members of BPL households. Subsequently, the scheme was expanded in April 2018 to include women beneficiaries from seven more categories (SC/ST, PMAY, AAY, Most backward classes, tea garden, forest dwellers, Islands). Also, the target was revised to 8 Crore LPG connections. This target was achieved in August 2019, seven months ahead of the target date," the statement said.
The non-subsidized domestic cooking gas price has been increased in the backdrop of the finance ministry slashing the allocation for petroleum subsidy by two-thirds to ₹12,995 crore for FY22.
“Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will launch Ujjwala 2.0 (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana - PMUY) by handing over LPG connections, at Mahoba Uttar Pradesh on 10th August, 2021 at 12:30 PM via video conferencing. During the event, the Prime Minister will interact with beneficiaries of the Ujjwala and will also address the nation," the statement added.
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