Empowering Lives Through Clean Energy; PM Ujjwala Yojana completes 9 years tomorrow

New Delhi [India], April 30 (ANI): Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), the scheme aimed at providing deposit free LPG connections to adult women from poor households, will complete 9 years on May 1 (tomorrow). Marking a significant milestone in India's journey towards ensuring clean cooking fuel for all. The scheme promotes health, environmental sustainability and women empowerment by replacing traditional cooking fuels like firewood and cow-dung cakes.
As on March 1, 2025, the total number of active domestic LPG consumers in India stands at 32.94 crore, including 10.33 crore beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).
According to the Ministry of Energy and Environment, there are 10.33 crore PMUY connections across the country.
"Reflecting the sustained usage of LPG, out of the 8.99 crore connections released as on 01.04.2022, 8.34 crore beneficiaries have availed at least one refill during the last two financial years, between April 2022 and March 2024," read a statement from the ministry.
The scheme, launched in May 2016, was expanded with Ujjwala 2.0 in August 2021 with the target of releasing 1 crore additional PMUY connections, which was achieved in January 2022. Following the success, an additional 60 lakh LPG connections were released under Ujjwala 2.0, achieving a total of 1.60 crore connections by December 2022. Further, the Government approved the release of 75 lakh additional connections for the period FY 2023-24 to 2025-26, which was successfully achieved in July 2024.
Even Migrant families are able to avail the benefits of the schemes, as they can avail a new LPG connection through a self-declaration instead of requiring Proof of Address and Ration Card.
With the aim of expanding the network of LPG distributors, Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) are continuously commissioning new LPG distributorships, especially in rural areas. Since the launch of the PMUY scheme, OMCs have commissioned 7959 distributorships across the country during the period from 1st April 2016 to 31st October 2024, out of which 7373 distributorships (93%) are catering to rural areas. Overall, the total number of LPG distributors increased from 13896 on 1st April 2014 to 25481 on 1st April 2024, marking an 83% growth. Distributors catering specifically to rural areas rose from 6724 to 17560 during the same period, registering an impressive 161% growth.
According to the ministry, PMUY is the biggest program to provide Domestic LPG to more than 10.33 crore poor households at an effective price of about Rs 35/Kg.
In comparison, the effective price of domestic LPG cylinder as of January 1, 2025 in Pakistan is Rs 1094, Rs 1231 in Sri Lanka and Rs 1206 in Nepal.
As a result of various steps taken by Government to improve access and affordability of domestic LPG for PMUY consumers, per capita consumption of PMUY beneficiaries (in terms of no. of 14.2 kg LPG cylinders taken per year) has increased. Due to various measures, the annual per capita LPG consumption among PMUY beneficiaries has shown a steady increase. As of March 2025, the annual per capita consumption of a PMUY beneficiary is 4.43 cylinders, up from 3.01 cylinders in 2019-2020.
Various independent studies and reports have also highlighted the significant positive impact of PMUY on rural households, especially women and families in remote areas, according to the ministry; such as health benefits from shifting from tradition fuels, reduced drudgery, as LPG reduced time and effort spent on collecting traditional fuel, environmental conversation, and better nutrition.
Uttar Pradesh leaders the charge for most PMUY beneficiaries, with 1.85 crore LPG connections released. Then comes West Bengal with 1.23 crore, Bihar with 1.16 crore, Madhya Pradesh with 88.4 Lakh, and Rajasthan with 73.83 Lakh.
The scheme has been praised by the International Energy Agency (IEA) as a "major achievement" in improving the environment and health of women, the ministry said, quoting IEA's executive director.
"Providing access to LPG across India by 2020 is a major achievement. It is not an energy issue, it is an economic issue, it is a social issue," Fatih Birol, IEA Executive Director had said.
The WHO has also praised this effort in 2018, with them saying that while air pollution levels worldwide are hovering around the danger mark, there are a few countries that have taken the matter seriously and have initiated steps to tackle it.
"While the latest data show ambient air pollution levels are still dangerously high in most parts of the world, they also show some positive progress. Countries are taking measures to tackle and reduce air pollution from particulate matter. For example, in just two years, India's Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana Scheme has provided some 37 million women living below the poverty line with free LPG connections to support them to switch to clean household energy use," read a WHO report, according to the ministry. (ANI)