In an effort to aid disadvantaged women, the Central Government has broadened the scope of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Funds have been sanctioned to provide free LPG connections to women as part of this initiative.
Announcing this development, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur stated that a staggering 9.60 crore LPG cylinders have already been distributed under the Ujjwala scheme.
He further added that an additional 75 lakh free LPG connections will be offered, benefiting more underprivileged women.
Budget Allocation
Anurag Thakur revealed that these 75 lakh LPG connections will be granted over a three-year period, with a total expenditure of Rs 1,650 crore.
This expansion will bring the total number of beneficiaries under the Ujjwala scheme to over 10 crores.
It’s worth noting that the Cabinet has now approved the funds for the 75 lakh new connections, which will be disbursed to public sector petroleum marketing companies.
Origin of Ujjwala Scheme
The Ujjwala scheme was initiated by Prime Minister Modi in May 2016. Its primary objective is to provide free gas connections to women from families living below the poverty line.
Reduced LPG Prices
In a related move, the government recently reduced the price of domestic LPG cylinders by Rs 200 per cylinder.
Following this reduction, a 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder is now available for Rs 903 in the national capital, Delhi. Beneficiaries of the Ujjwala scheme will also enjoy the benefits of these reduced prices.
