Ujjwala 2.0: Free LPG connections to 1 crore poorest of the poor

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The second edition of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana will likely be launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 10. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana or Ujjwala scheme is a marquee social welfare programme launched by the BJP-led NDA government in 2016 which aims at providing clean cooking fuel to poor households.

The first edition of the scheme was launched in 2016 in Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia ahead of the Assembly Polls which were held in 2017. This was a strategic move that helped them dislodge the Samajwadi Party government, led by Akhilesh Yadav. It is said that this scheme was one of the driving forces behind BJP’s return to power in 2019 as it expanded the party’s appeal among the economically backward sections of the society across the country.

Ujjwala 2.0

With Ujjwala 2.0, the government aims at providing free LPG connections to one crore households who are poorer than the ones covered in the first phase. This is expected to be rolled out over the next two years and will show will be leniency in the requirements for address and identity proofs. This is aimed at benefiting a special category of people that include migrants which is a big part of the ruling party’s vote bank in UP, Bihar and West Bengal.

The announcement for Ujjwala 2.0 was made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her Union Budget address in February. While no funds were allocated then, officials from the Oil Ministry said that the fuel subsidy allocation amounting to Rs 14,073 crore should be enough to cover the cost of each connection which is being pegged at Rs 1,600.

Ujjwala 1.0

Ujjwala scheme was launched with the aim of improving the lives of womenfolk in poor households.

Along with providing a free LPG connection, it also expanded the coverage of LPG cylinders across India to 91%. This scheme was also instrumental in delivering relief to the poor and the needy during the lockdown last year.

Until June 2020, the entire cost of an LPG cylinder was credited into the bank account of 8.3 beneficiaries by the fourth of every month. This helped them in buying three free refills under a special package.