About PMUY

• The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas launched PMUY in 2016 to provide clean cooking fuel to poor households.
• It aimed at providing 8 crore deposit free LPG connections to poor households. The connections are issued in the name of women of the households. 
• The scheme increases the usage of LPG and helps in reducing health disorders, air pollution and deforestation. 
• Initially, the beneficiaries were identified through Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC),  2011 data. The scope of PMUY has now been expanded to cover all the poor families in the country subject to fulfilling the terms and conditions. 
• Under the scheme, cash assistance of Rs. 1600 is given to the beneficiaries to get a deposit-free new connection. Further, interest free loans are provided to purchase a stove and refill by Oil Marketing Companies.

PMUY 2.0

• In 2021, the Government of India launched the second phase of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana – Ujjwala 2.0.
• Under Ujjwala 2.0, a provision for an additional 1.6 crore LPG connection was announced to provide deposit-free LPG connections to those low-income families who could not be covered under the earlier phase of the scheme.
• Along with a deposit free LPG connection, Ujjwala 2.0 provides first refill and hotplate free of cost to the beneficiaries. 

Why in News?

• The Union Cabinet has approved an extension of the targeted cooking gas subsidy of Rs 300 per 14.2-kg cylinder to the beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) by one more year till the end of 2024-25.
• Last year in October, the government had raised the subsidy provided to poor women, who got free cooking gas connections under the PMUY, to Rs 300 per cylinder. 
• The government also announced expansion of the scheme with 7.5 million additional LPG connections to be released in three years.