Lok Sabha Question No. 3333 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-20
Subject: Free LPG connections to Women from BPL under PMUY
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Shri Vishnu Datt Sharma

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3333 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20th March, 2025

## Free LPG connections to Women from BPL under PMUY

3333.   Shri Vishnu Datt Sharma:

## पेĚोͧलयम एवं Ĥाक ृ Ǔतक गैस मंğी

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  implementing  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Ujjwala  Yojana  (PMUY)  to provide free LPG connections to women from Below Poverty Line (BPL) households, especially in the State of Madhya Pradesh and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  identified  and  provided  LPG  connections  to  all  eligible beneficiaries in the districts of Katni, Panna and the town of Khajuraho in the Khajuraho Lok Sabha constituency;
- (c)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  the success of the scheme; and
- (d) if not, the reasons therefor and the steps taken/being taken to address the issue?

## 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  (d):  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 in the State of Madhya Pradesh. 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 self-declaration 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. Details of LPG connections, as on 01.03.2025, under PMUY Scheme in Katni, Panna and the town of Khajuraho in the Khajuraho Lok Sabha constituency (which covers Katni, Panna and Chhatarpur district) are at Annexure .

In order to improve access to LPG across the country including in the state of Madhya Pradesh, various  steps  have  been  taken  inter  alia,  including  organizing  campaigns  for  improving awareness about PMUY, organizing melas/camps to enroll and distribute connections, promotion through Out of Home (OOH) hoardings, radio jingles, Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Vans etc., spreading awareness about advantages of using LPG over other conventional fuels and safe usage of LPG through LPG Panchayats, enrolment/awareness camps under  Viksit  Bharat  Sankalp  Yatra,  facilitation  of  consumers  and  their  families  for  Aadhar enrolment  and  opening  of  bank  accounts  for  getting  PMUY  connections,  simplification  of process of getting LPG connection, online application for PMUY connection at www.pmuy.gov.in, nearest LPG distributors, Common Service Centres (CSC) etc., option of 5 Kg Double Bottle Connection (DBC), swap option from 14.2 Kg to 5 Kg, provision for Migrant Families to avail new connection on Self-Declaration instead of Proof of Address  and Ration Card. Further, OMCs are continuously commissioning new LPG Distributorships, especially in rural areas. Since the launch of PMUY  scheme, OMCs have commissioned 7959 Distributorships  (commissioned  during  01.04.2016  to  31.12.2024)  across  the  country,  out  of which 7373 (i.e. 93 %) are catering to rural areas.  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.

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).

*******

Annexure referred to in part (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3333 to be answered on 20.03.2025 regarding " Free LPG connections to Women from BPL under PMUY' asked by Shri Vishnu Datt Sharma.

| District   |   Number of PMUY Connections (In lakh) |   Number of total Domestic LPG Connections (In lakh) (including PMUY) |
|------------|----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Katni      |                                   2    |                                                                  3.45 |
| Panna      |                                   1.6  |                                                                  2.17 |
| Chhatarpur |                                   2.91 |                                                                  4.23 |

Source: IOCL on industry basis