Lok Sabha Question No. 5421 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-03
Subject: Promotion of the Usage of LPG in Urban Slums under PMUY
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Shri Lumbaram Choudhary, Smt. Shobhanaben Mahendrasinh Baraiya

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5421 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03 rd  April, 2025

## Promotion of the Usage of LPG in Urban Slums under PMUY

†5421. Shri Lumba Ram Chaudhary:

Smt. Shobhanaben Mahendrasinh Baraiya:

## पेĚोͧलयम एवं Ĥाक ृ Ǔतक गैस मंğी

Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken any steps to promote the use of LPG in urban slums to increase access to clean cooking energy and improve air quality;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  relaxed  the  eligibility  criteria  for  obtaining  LPG  connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) to enable more people to benefit from the scheme and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the details of LPG distribution infrastructure in rural and remote areas of the country;
- (e)  the  number  of  Pradhan  Mantri  Ujjwala  Yojana  beneficiaries  who  have  refilled  their  LPG cylinders during the last two years and the current year, year-wise; and
- (f)  the  manner  in  which  the  PMUY  scheme  has  significantly  impacted  the  lives  of  rural households especially women and those families living in rural and remote areas?

## ANSWER

## पेĚोͧलयम एवं Ĥाक ृ Ǔतक गैस मंğालय मɅ राÏयमंğी ( Įी सुरेश गोपी )

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI SURESH GOPI)

(a) to (f): Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched in May, 2016 with an objective to provide deposit free LPG connection to adult women from poor households across the country including urban slums. The target to release 8 crore connections under PMUY was achieved in September 2019. To cover the remaining poor households, Ujjwala 2.0 was launched in August 2021  with  a  target  to  release  1  crore  additional  PMUY  connections,  which  was  achieved  in January 2022. Subsequently, the Government decided to release 60 lakh more LPG connections under Ujjwala 2.0 and the target of 1.60 crore Ujjwala 2.0 connections was also achieved during December 2022. Further, Government approved release of additional 75 lakh connections under PMUY Scheme for the period FY 2023-24 to 2025-26 which has already been achieved during July 2024.

LPG connection under PMUY is released in the name of adult women of the poor households, provided  no  LPG  connection  exists  in  the  name  of  any  family  member  of  the  household  and fulfilling  other  terms  and  conditions.  Households  belonging  to  Socio  Economic  Caste  Census (SECC) list or from seven other categories such as Scheduled Caste(SC) Households, Scheduled Tribe(ST)  Households,  Most  Backward  Classes  (MBC),  Beneficiaries  of  PM  Awas  Yojana (Gramin),  Beneficiaries  of  Antyodaya  Anna  Yojana  (AAY),  Forest  Dwellers,  Resident  of islands/ river islands, Tea garden / ex-tea garden workers  or poor households not covered under the  above  categories  by  submitting  14  point  declaration  are  eligible  for  a  PMUY  connection. Under Ujjwala 2.0, a special provision has been made for migrant families who can use a selfdeclaration instead of Proof of Address and Ration Card to apply for a PMUY connection. As on 01.03.2025, there are 10.33 crore PMUY connections across the country.

To  improve  access  of  LPG  in  rural  and  remote  areas,  OMCs  have  commissioned  7959 Distributorships  (commissioned  during  01.04.2016  to  31.12.2024)  across  the  country,  out  of which  7373  (i.e.  93  %)  [Rurban-  1024,  Gramin-  4974,  Durgam  Kshetriya  Vitraks  and  Rajiv Gandhi Gramin LPG Vitrak - 1375] are catering to rural areas. Further, LPG coverage in the country has improved from 62% in April 2016 to near saturation now. To create awareness about the scheme and also to address any issue pertaining to LPG usage, OMCs regularly conduct LPG Panchayats  for  the  customers.    The  Government  has  taken  several  steps  to  encourage  better consumption of LPG by PMUY beneficiaries, which include deferment of loan recovery from subsidy amount, Swap option from 14.2 kg to 5 Kg to reduce upfront cash outgo, option of 5 Kg Double  Bottle  Connection,  Conducting  Pradhan  Mantri  LPG  Panchayat  to  convince  the beneficiaries  to  use  LPG  on  sustained  basis,  mass  awareness  camps  etc.  As  a  result  of  these efforts,  LPG coverage in the country has improved from 62% in April 2016 to near saturation now.

Since the launch of PMUY till financial year 2022-23, Government has borne an expenditure of up  to  Rs.  1,600  per  PMUY  connection  for  Security  Deposit  (SD)  of  Cylinder,  Pressure Regulator, Suraksha Hose, DGCC booklet and installation charges. From financial year 2023-24, this expenditure has increased to Rs. 2,200 per connection for 14.2 Kg Single Bottle Connection/ 5 Kg Double Bottle Connection & Rs. 1,300 per connection for 5 Kg Single Bottle Connection.

To  make  LPG  more  affordable  to  PMUY  consumers  and  ensure  sustained  usage  of  LPG  by them, Government started a targeted subsidy of Rs.200/- per 14.2 kg cylinder for up to 12 refills per annum (and proportionately pro-rated for 5 Kg connections) to the PMUY consumers in May 2022.  In  October  2023,  Government  increased  the  targeted  subsidy  to  Rs.300  per  14.2  kg cylinder  for  up  to  12  refills  per  annum  (and  proportionately  pro-rated  for  5  Kg  connections). After  a  targeted  subsidy  of  Rs.  300/cylinder  to  PMUY  consumers,  Government  of  India  is providing 14.2 Kg LPG cylinders at an effective price of Rs.503 per cylinder (in Delhi). This is available to more than 10.33 crore Ujjwala beneficiaries, across the country.

Out of the 8.99 crore PMUY connections released as on 01.04.2022, 8.34 crore customers have availed at least one refill during last two financial years i.e. between April 2022 and March 2024.

Various independent studies and reports have shown that PMUY scheme has had a significant positive  impact  on  the  lives  of  rural  households,  especially  women  and  families  in  rural  and remote areas. Some key benefits are briefly explained below:

- (i)  PMUY had resulted in a shift from  traditional cooking methods that involve burning solid fuels  like  wood,  dung  and  crop  residues.  The  use  of  cleaner  fuel  lowers  indoor  air  pollution, leading  to  improved  respiratory  health,  particularly  among  women  and  children  who  are traditionally more exposed to household smoke.
- (ii)  Households  in  rural  areas,  especially  those  in  remote  locations,  often  spend  a  significant portion  of  their  time  and  energy  in  collecting  traditional  cooking  fuels.  LPG  has  reduced drudgery  and  the  time  spent  on  cooking  by  women  of  poor  households.  The  free  time,  thus, available with them can be utilized in multiple spheres for enhanced economic productivity.

(iii) Transition from biomass and traditional fuels to LPG reduces the dependency on wood and other  biomass  for  cooking  purposes,  leading  to  a  decrease  in  deforestation  and  environmental degradation. This benefits not only the households but also contributes to broader environmental conservation efforts. (iv) With improved cooking facilities, there is a potential positive impact on nutrition. Families may find it easier to cook a variety of nutritious meals, contributing to better overall health.

Further, 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 from 3.68 (FY 2021-22) to 3.95 in FY 2023-24  and 4.43 in FY 2024-25 (as on 01.03. 2025).

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