---
title: "Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY): Scheme"
description: "Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana provides subsidized LPG connections to women from below-poverty-line households, enhancing their cooking safety and convenience."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/pradhan-mantri-ujjwala-yojana"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana is an Indian government scheme launched in 2016 that provides subsidised LPG cooking-gas connections to women from below-poverty-line households.
- Who is eligible for a connection under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana?
- How does PMUY differ from the PAHAL (DBTL) scheme?
- What does Ujjwala 2.0 add to the original scheme?
- What is the main criticism of PMUY?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana is an Indian government scheme launched in 2016 that provides subsidised LPG cooking-gas connections to women from below-poverty-line households.

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## Timeline

1. 1 May 2016

   It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on at Ballia in Uttar Pradesh.

2. 10 August 2021

   A significant restructuring came with Ujjwala 2.0, launched on at Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh, which broadened eligibility and simplified documentation.

## Positions at a glance

### Supporters

By 2024 the cumulative number of connections under PMUY exceeded ten crore. The Union Budget and subsequent cabinet decisions have layered additional financial support onto the scheme: in 2023 the government introduced a targeted subsidy of ₹200 per 14.2-kilogram cylinder for PMUY beneficiaries, later raised to ₹300, to counter the suppression of refill consumption caused by high market prices. State governments including Uttar Pradesh have at times offered free cylinders to Ujjwala households around festivals. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, through the oil marketing companies and their distributor networks, remains the operational authority; the Comptroller and Auditor General of India and the Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas periodically review its performance.

### Opponents

The procedural mechanics centre on the deposit-free LPG connection. Under the original design, an eligible adult woman applies through a local LPG distributor, submitting identity documentation, proof of below-poverty-line status drawn from the Socio-Economic and Caste Census 2011, and bank-account details linked to Aadhaar for direct benefit transfer. The government covers the security deposit for the cylinder and pressure regulator—originally ₹1,600 per connection—released as financial assistance to the oil marketing company on the beneficiary's behalf. The connection is issued in the name of the woman of the household, a deliberate design choice intended to advance female empowerment and household decision-making. The cost of the first refill and the gas stove can be financed through an interest-free loan from the oil company, recovered against the subsidy on subsequent refills.

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Example

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana at Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, on 1 May 2016, and inaugurated the expanded Ujjwala 2.0 phase at Mahoba on 10 August 2021.

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