India is home to many social welfare schemes that have helped people living in rural and semi-urban areas greatly. The PM Ujjwala Yojana is one such initiative launched by the government of India, back in 2016. This scheme aims to make clean cooking fuel such as LPG more easily available to households in rural and deprived sections of the society. 

A brief history of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

Households in urban and semi-urban parts of India see more prevalent use of LPG connections. However, if you venture into the more rural parts of the country, you’ll find that the dependence on LPG is less common. Rather, people in these areas tend to rely on fossil fuels for their cooking needs.

These fuels can be very harmful in the long run. And one of the key reasons for continued dependence on such fossil fuels was that LPG was not very accessible or affordable for people in these sections of society.

To rectify this situation, the PM Ujjwala Yojana was launched on May 1, 2016 in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh by the Prime Minister of India.

Initially, the government aimed to provide 8 crore LPG connections to deprived households by March 2020. However, this target was achieved much sooner than planned, on September 7, 2019 itself. 

Enter the next phase: PMUY 2.0

After the original target was achieved, the government of India launched the next phase of the PM Ujjwala Yojana to cover the remaining beneficiaries under the scheme. 

The Union Budget for FY 21-22 provided for the release of an extra 1 crore LPG connections under the PMUY 2.0 scheme. The new phase of the PMUY offers a special facility for migrant families.

What benefits does this scheme offer?

The PM Ujjwala Yojana 2.0 offers cash assistance of Rs. 1600 for a connection of a 14.2 kg cylinder or of Rs. 1150 for a 5 kg cylinder. This cash assistance covers the following aspects for beneficiaries who apply for this scheme —

Who can make it to the PM Ujjwala Yojana List  2.0 ?

To be eligible for the PM Ujjwala Yojana List 2.0, the applicant should meet the following criteria —

• The applicant should be a woman over the age of 18 years
• The applicant must be residing in rural areas and have the BPL card
• The applicant should have a savings bank account in any of the nationalised banks to receive the subsidy amount
• The applicant’s household should not have any other LPG connection

Furthermore, the government has listed out specific categories of applicants under the eligibility criteria. Adult women belonging to the following categories are eligible to apply —

• Scheduled Castes
• Scheduled Tribes
• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin)
• Most Backward Classes (MBC)
• Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)
• Tea and Ex-Tea Garden tribes, 
• Forest Dwellers
• People residing in Islands and River Islands, enlisted under SECC Households (AHL TIN) 
• Any Poor Household as per 14-point declaration

What documents do you need to submit as a part of your application?

For anyone eligible for this scheme, it is important to submit the right documents at the time of application. That way, the process will be hassle-free and faster. Check out the key documents needed to apply online for the PM Ujjwala Yojana.

• Duly signed KYC as per the standard format, carrying a photograph of the applicant 
• Proof of identity of the applicant 
• Proof of address of the applicant 
• A copy of the applicant’s Aadhaar
• A copy of the Aadhaar of all the adult members as mentioned in the family’s ration card or similar document
• Bank account details of the applicant
• Ration card or any other family document issued by a state government or district administration, which contains the details of the household composition
• In case of migrant applicants, a self-declaration as per Annexure-I instead of the ration card 

How to apply for the PM Ujjwala Yojana online?

To apply online for the PM Ujjwala Yojana, you need to follow the steps outlined below.

Step 1: Visit the official PMUY website at the following link – https://pmuy.gov.in/ 

Step 2: In the section labelled ‘Apply for PMUY Connection,’ choose the ‘Click Here’ option. 

Step 3: You will then see a list of LPG providers like Indane, Bharat Gas and HP Gas. Choose the provider you want to get a connection from.

Step 4: You will be taken to a new page, where you have to choose the type of connection you want. Select ‘Ujjwala 2.0 New Connection.’

Step 5: Check the box to agree that whatever you state in your declaration is accurate.

Step 6: Search for the LPG distributor you want to get the connection from and proceed.

Step 7: You will then see the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana KYC Application Form. Fill in the details required by the form completely and accurately.

Step 8: Upload the necessary documents such as Aadhaar, proof of address, passport size photo, ration card, etc. 

Step 9: Submit the form online. 

Once you’ve completed the above steps, the LPG fuel officials will match the details in the application form with the SECC – 2011 database. After confirming the BPL status of the family, the application will be processed and the LPG connection will be issued. 

Summing it up

This social welfare scheme is exclusively for households who cannot afford LPG connections. So, it is essential to ensure that you should only apply for it if you are eligible for the same. Also, if you know anybody who could benefit from this scheme and qualifies for it, do spread the word and pave the way for cleaner and healthier cooking across India. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the PM Ujjwala Yojana?

The PM Ujjwala Yojana is a welfare scheme by the government of India. It aims to provide LPG connections to BPL households, families in rural areas, and to people belonging to select categories like migrants. 

How to apply for the PM Ujjwala Yojana?

Anyone who is eligible for this scheme can apply online for the PM Ujjwala Yojana, on the official PMUY website – https://pmuy.gov.in/.