Ujjwala Scheme- Details, Features, Eligibility, 10th Crore Beneficiary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently visited a woman's home in Ayodhya who was the 10th crore beneficiary of the Centre's flagship Ujjwala Yojana and had tea with her. PM Modi was photographed greeting the recipients and inquiring about their well-being over tea. PM Modi inaugurated various projects in Ayodhya as part of a concerted effort to transform and modernise the historic city, considered the birthplace of Ram Lalla. He also went to Ayodhya's Lata Mangeshkar Chowk. 

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

• The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched in May 2016 to offer clean cooking fuel to disadvantaged households nationwide. 
• PMUY provides a deposit-free LPG connection to women living below the poverty line (BPL). 
• The Ujjwala Scheme is a government programme administered by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
• The Scheme provides qualified persons with a deposit-free LPG connection and financial assistance of Rs 1,600 per connection. 

Features of Scheme

• The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) will be extended for three years, from 2023-24 to 2025-26.
•  The Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) will provide all PMUY beneficiaries with their first LPG refill and Stove (hotplate) at no cost besides their deposit-free connection.

Eligibility for Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

• The eligibility requirements for  Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana are as follows.
  • The applicant must be a female household member.
  • The applicant must be over 18 and a citizen of the country.
  • The candidate must come from a low-income family or household.
  • The applicant's name must appear on the SECC (Socio-economic Caste Census) list for 2011 
  • The applicant should also not be a beneficiary of any other government-sponsored equivalent plan.

Target beneficiaries

• An adult woman who falls into one of the following categories is entitled to benefit from the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana:
  • SC Households
  • ST Households
  • People residing in Islands and River Islands
  • SECC Households (AHL TIN)
  • Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin)
  • Most Backward Classes
  • Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)
  • Tea and Ex-Tea Garden tribes
  • Forest Dwellers
  • Poor Household as per 14-point declaration
  • Applicants must have attained 18 years of age.