News:The government of India has already achieved the target of giving 8 crore free cooking gas(LPG) connections under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).
Facts:
About Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana(PMUY):
- Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna is a scheme of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
- The scheme aims to replace unclean cooking fuels used in the most underprivileged households with clean and more efficient LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas).
Objectives of the scheme:
- Empower women and protect their health
- Reduce the serious health hazards associated with cooking based on fossil fuel
- Reduce the number of deaths in India due to unclean cooking fuel and
- To prevent young children from significant number of acute respiratory illnesses caused due to indoor air pollution.
Beneficiaries:
- Under the scheme,an adult woman member of a below poverty line family identified through the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) is given a deposit-free LPG connection with financial assistance of Rs 1,600 per connection by the Centre.
- The interest free loan is also provided to purchase stove and refill by Oil Marketing Companies.
Target:
- Initially the target was installation of 5 crore LPG connections by 2019.But the target was revised to 8 crore which was to be achieved by 2019-20.
