Maarg Manthan · Topic 12.7

Ujjwala Yojana (LPG Connections)

Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Energy and Renewable Energy Schemes · Topic 12.7

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, or PMUY, is a Central scheme of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, launched on 1 May 2016 at Ballia in Uttar Pradesh, to give deposit free LPG connections to adult women of poor households and so replace firewood, coal and cow dung as cooking fuel. The Centre pays Rs 1,600 per connection, and the first target of 5 crore connections was raised to 8 crore and reached in September 2019. Ujjwala 2.0 began on 10 August 2021. As reported, about 10.3 to 10.6 crore connections exist, and a targeted subsidy of Rs 300 per cylinder was extended for 2025 to 2026.

6 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Energy and Renewable Energy Schemes

At a Glance

Launched 1 May 2016, Ballia, Uttar Pradesh
Ministry Petroleum and Natural Gas
Aid per connection Rs 1,600
Ujjwala 2.0 10 August 2021, Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh
Connections About 10.3 to 10.6 crore, as reported
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Energy and Renewable Energy Schemes

Where Does It Fit?

This topic is about clean cooking energy, the third piece of household energy access in the macro. Saubhagya gave electricity connections, UJALA saved power, and Ujjwala gave LPG so that women could stop cooking on solid fuels. Previous topic: Saubhagya Scheme (Rural Electrification). Next topic: National Programme on Biogas and Bio-Manure.

What Does Ujjwala Yojana Provide?

Feature	Details
Full name	Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, called PMUY
Launch	1 May 2016 at Ballia in Uttar Pradesh by the Prime Minister
Ministry	Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, with Oil Marketing Companies as implementers
Support	Central assistance of Rs 1,600 per connection to cover the security deposit, pressure regulator and other costs. Oil Marketing Companies offer the first refill and a hot plate as loans or free in Ujjwala 2.0
Beneficiary	An adult woman of a poor household with no LPG connection in the household
Targets	5 crore connections in three years from 2016 to 2019, raised to 8 crore, reached in September 2019

Who Is Eligible and How Has the Scheme Changed?

First phase eligibility: women from households below the poverty line, identified from the Socio Economic and Caste Census of 2011
Wider categories: from 2018 the scheme added Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe households, Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana beneficiaries, Antyodaya Anna Yojana households, forest dwellers, tea garden workers, islanders and the most backward classes
Ujjwala 2.0: launched on 10 August 2021 to give 1 crore more connections, with a free first refill and a free stove, and with a simple process for migrants using a self declaration
Documents: Ujjwala 2.0 removed the need for a ration card or address proof for migrants and allowed a family declaration
Targeted subsidy: a subsidy was started at Rs 200 per 14.2 kg cylinder in 2022 and raised to Rs 300 in October 2023, paid through Direct Benefit Transfer to the bank account
Refill cap: the subsidy applies to a fixed number of refills per year, which was 12 and was reported to be reduced to 9 for 2025 to 2026
Funding for 2025 to 2026: the Union Cabinet approved about Rs 12,000 crore for the targeted subsidy for 2025 to 2026, as reported by the Prime Minister’s Office
Additional connections: about 25 lakh more connections were approved for 2025 to 2026 to cover pending applications, as reported

What Else Should You Remember?

Reason for the scheme: solid fuel smoke in kitchens causes serious respiratory disease, and the World Health Organization has linked household air pollution to hundreds of thousands of deaths in India
Women and time: collecting firewood takes hours daily and falls mainly on women and girls
Earlier campaigns: the Give It Up campaign of 2015 invited well-off households to surrender their LPG subsidy, and the savings were meant for poor households
Direct Benefit Transfer: the PAHAL scheme, launched in 2014 to 2015, pays LPG subsidy into bank accounts to cut leakage
Reported numbers: as reported, there were about 10.33 crore connections by July 2025 and about 10.56 crore by March 2026 in a Parliament reply. Figures change, so check the latest ministry release
Infrastructure growth: more than 8,000 new LPG distributorships have been opened since 2016, with a stress on rural areas
Refill problem: studies find that many Ujjwala households refill only a few cylinders a year, because the cost is high compared with free firewood, so they keep using solid fuels
Impact on usage: average refills per year have risen since 2021, partly because of the targeted subsidy, but remain lower than for general households
LPG import dependence: India imports a large part of its LPG, so global prices and the rupee affect subsidy costs
Link with other fuels: piped natural gas, biogas and electric induction cooking are alternative clean options, as in National Programme on Biogas and Bio-Manure
Link with other schemes: Ujjwala works with Saubhagya and housing schemes for a combined push, as in Saubhagya Scheme (Rural Electrification)
Name and meaning: Ujjwala means bright or radiant, and the scheme is described by its sponsors as a step in the empowerment of women

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Basics: launch date, place, ministry and the Rs 1,600 support
Eligibility: adult woman of a poor household and later categories added
Phases: 5 crore, then 8 crore, then Ujjwala 2.0 with 1 crore and later additions
Related: PAHAL, Give It Up and the targeted subsidy
Common errors: calling it a scheme of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, or saying the connection is given to the male head

As an analytical point, the scheme has delivered access, but use is the real test. A connection that sits idle helps neither health nor the environment. Lower refill costs, doorstep delivery and smaller cylinders raise use, while alternatives like biogas and induction cooking cut dependence on imports.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Basics Date, place, aid
Eligibility Women and categories
Issues Refills and subsidy

What Came Next?

The next topic covers biogas and bio-manure, another clean cooking and rural energy option. Next topic: National Programme on Biogas and Bio-Manure.

Key People and Terms

PMUY Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana
LPG Liquefied petroleum gas
OMC Oil Marketing Company
PAHAL Direct benefit transfer for LPG
DBT Direct Benefit Transfer
SECC Socio Economic and Caste Census

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Launched 1 May 2016 at Ballia.
Aid: Rs 1,600 per connection.
Connection goes to an adult woman.
Ujjwala 2.0: 10 August 2021, Mahoba.
Subsidy: Rs 300 per cylinder, extended for 2025 to 2026.

Do Not Confuse With

Ujjwala and PAHAL Connection scheme versus subsidy transfer mechanism
Ujjwala 1.0 and 2.0 The first phase versus the 2021 expansion with free refill
Give It Up and Ujjwala Voluntary surrender of subsidy versus connections for the poor

Memory Hook

Ujjwala in Ballia, sixteen hundred a connection, in a woman’s name.

Mains Angle

Questions ask whether clean cooking schemes change fuel use. These points give a balanced frame.

Benefits Health, time saved, women empowerment
Concerns Low refills, cost, import dependence
Way forward Cheaper refills, alternatives, awareness

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Assess the impact of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana on health and women empowerment and discuss the challenges of sustained LPG use.”

How to Answer

Aim Clean cooking fuel for the poor.
Method Free connection in a woman’s name.
Gaps Refills and cost.
Way Subsidy and alternatives.

GS Relevance

Prelims: launch, target, assistance per connection, eligibility, Ujjwala 2.0. GS Paper 2 and 3: welfare schemes, women empowerment, health, energy access and clean fuel.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana?

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana is a scheme of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas launched on 1 May 2016 at Ballia, Uttar Pradesh. It gives deposit free LPG connections to adult women of poor households, with Central assistance of Rs 1,600 per connection, to replace polluting solid cooking fuels.

Who is eligible for Ujjwala Yojana?

An adult woman of a poor household with no LPG connection is eligible. Categories include Socio Economic and Caste Census households, Scheduled Castes and Tribes, Antyodaya Anna Yojana families, forest dwellers, tea garden workers and islanders. Ujjwala 2.0 allows migrants to apply with a self declaration instead of address proof.

Which ministry runs Ujjwala Yojana?

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas runs the scheme, and Oil Marketing Companies such as Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum carry it out through LPG distributors. The subsidy is paid into beneficiary bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer.

What is Ujjwala 2.0?

Ujjwala 2.0 was launched on 10 August 2021 at Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh to give 1 crore more connections. It provides a free first refill and a free stove, and it simplified documents so that migrant families could apply with a self declaration, which widened access beyond the first phase.

What is the latest status of Ujjwala Yojana?

As reported, there were about 10.3 crore connections in mid 2025 and about 10.6 crore by March 2026. The Cabinet extended the Rs 300 per cylinder targeted subsidy for 2025 to 2026 with about Rs 12,000 crore and approved 25 lakh more connections. Check the ministry for the position for 2026 to 2027.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 PMUY was launched in 2016 at Ballia.

True

The launch was on 1 May 2016.

2 Under PMUY the connection is given in the name of the male head of the family.

False

It is given to an adult woman of the household.

3 Central assistance under PMUY is Rs 1,600 per connection.