Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna
The scheme envisages to provide Free LPG connections to Women from BPL Households. Under the scheme, Rs 8000 crore has been earmarked for providing five crore LPG connections to BPL households. The Scheme provides a financial support of Rs 1600 for each LPG connection to the BPL households. The identification of eligible BPL families will be made in consultation with the State Governments and the Union Territories. This Scheme would be implemented over three years, namely, the FY 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19.
This is the first time in the history of the country that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas would implement a welfare scheme.
Objectives:
Empowering women and protecting their health.
Reducing the serious health hazards associated with cooking based on fossil fuel.
Reducing the number of deaths in India due to unclean cooking fuel.
Preventing young children from significant number of acute respiratory illnesses caused due to indoor air pollution by burning the fossil fuel.
Eligibility:
The applicant should be a women above the age of 18 years.
The women applicant should belong to BPL (Below Poverty Line).
The women applicant should have a saving bank account in any nationalized bank across the country.
The applicant’s household should not already own a LPG connection in anyone’s name.
Source – PIB, The Hindu , Indian Express.
