PMUY
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana
PM Ujjwala Yojana transformed India's energy landscape — taking LPG coverage from 55% of households in 2014 to 99%+ by 2023. Launched on 1 May 2016 by PM Modi in Ballia, UP, it specifically targets women in BPL households who were cooking on wood, cow dung, and crop residue fires — causing severe indoor air pollution and respiratory diseases.
**What You Get:**
- Free LPG connection (security deposit waived)
- Free first refill (14.2 kg cylinder)
- Free hotplate stove
- Connection in the woman's name — empowering women financially
**Ujjwala 2.0 (August 2021 — Simpler, Wider):**
The original PMUY required SECC 2011 BPL listing or specific documentary proof. Ujjwala 2.0 simplified: migrants can now apply with just their Aadhaar (for identity) and a self-declaration of address. This removed the major barrier of migrants not having local documents.
**The ₹300 Subsidy:**
After the initial free connection, refills are paid at market rate but ₹300 per cylinder is credited back to the woman's Aadhaar-linked bank account within a few days via DBT. This subsidy applies to the first 12 refills per year — so effectively the annual fuel subsidy is up to ₹3,600.
**The Health Impact:**
Burning biomass (wood, cow dung) inside the home generates PM2.5 particulate matter at 10–100x safe limits. WHO estimates 8 lakh deaths per year in India from indoor air pollution. Ujjwala is India's single largest public health intervention by health impact.
**Refill Rate Issue:**
A persistent challenge: many Ujjwala beneficiaries take the free connection but don't refill regularly — reverting to biomass due to refill cost. The ₹300 DBT subsidy was specifically introduced to address affordability of refills. If you have a connection but aren't refilling, check if your DBT subsidy is active.
Key Objectives
- Provide clean cooking fuel (LPG) to BPL households — eliminating indoor air pollution.
- Safeguard health of women and children from biomass fuel combustion.
- Empower women by putting the connection and subsidy in their name.
- Reduce drudgery of collecting firewood, particularly for rural women.
Benefits
Eligibility
- Adult woman (18 years+) from BPL household — per SECC 2011 listing
- SC/ST household women
- PMAY-G (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin) beneficiaries
- AAY (Antyodaya Anna Yojana — ration card) households
- Most Backward Classes (MBC) / OBC BPL households (state-specific)
- Tea garden and ex-tea garden workers
- Forest dwellers
- River island and delta residents (Ujjwala 2.0)
- Migrants — can apply with just Aadhaar + self-declared address (Ujjwala 2.0)
- No existing LPG connection in the household (in any household member's name)
- Connection is always in the adult woman's name
- Aadhaar mandatory for enrolment
- Bank account (Aadhaar-linked) required for DBT subsidy
- Households that already have an LPG connection (in any member's name, at the same address)
- Households above the BPL income threshold (unless covered by other specific categories)
How to Apply
Step 1: Visit nearest LPG distributor (IndianOil/HP/BP Gas dealer) — find nearest on pmuy.gov.in
Step 2: Fill the Ujjwala 2.0 application form (KYC-1 form) — available at the distributor
Step 3: Submit Aadhaar (identity proof)
Step 4: Submit address proof — own documents OR self-declaration (for migrants under Ujjwala 2.0)
Step 5: Submit BPL/SECC/AAY ration card proof OR letter from Gram Panchayat / self-declaration for eligible categories
Step 6: Bank account details (Aadhaar-linked) for DBT subsidy
Step 7: Application processed by distributor — typically 3–7 days
Step 8: Free cylinder, stove, and regulator delivered to your home
Step 9: Activate DBT (if not auto-activated) — ensure bank account Aadhaar linkage is active on the NPCI mapper
Required Documents
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if my Ujjwala DBT subsidy of ₹300 is coming to my bank?
Check your bank passbook or account statement — ₹300 should appear within 3–5 days of each LPG refill. If not received: (1) visit your bank and confirm Aadhaar is linked to your account; (2) check NPCI Aadhaar Payment Bridge status at your bank; (3) call LPG helpline 1800-266-6696 with your 17-digit LPG consumer number; (4) visit mylpg.in with your consumer number to check DBT status.
My LPG distributor is asking for money for the Ujjwala connection. Is this correct?
No. Ujjwala connections are completely free — no security deposit, no connection charges, no stove charges, no first refill charges. If any distributor asks for money for an Ujjwala connection, refuse and report to: IOCL/HPCL/BPCL customer care (company-specific) OR the Ministry of Petroleum Helpline 1800-266-6696. You can also report on the PMUY portal's grievance section.
I am a migrant worker living in a city. Can I get an Ujjwala connection with my home state Aadhaar?
Yes — Ujjwala 2.0 specifically allows migrants to apply with just their Aadhaar (as identity proof) and a self-declaration of current address. You do NOT need a ration card from your current state. Visit the LPG distributor near your current residence, fill the KYC-1 form, submit Aadhaar, and write a self-declaration of address.
The Ujjwala scheme says connection is in the woman's name. What if I am a single man?
PMUY is specifically for women from BPL/eligible households — the connection is mandatorily in the adult woman's name. Single men or male-headed households without an adult woman member are not eligible for PMUY. They must take a regular LPG connection with the security deposit.
My Ujjwala connection has been inactive for over a year. Can I reactivate it?
Yes. Visit your LPG distributor with your Aadhaar and consumer number. Request reactivation of the connection. You may need to pay a nominal reconnection fee (up to ₹150 in some cases) and a safety check of your stove and regulator. After reactivation, your ₹300 DBT subsidy should resume automatically if your Aadhaar-bank linkage is active.
Does the ₹300 subsidy come for every refill, or only for the first refill?
The ₹300 subsidy applies to the first 12 refills per year (financial year April to March). For refills 13 and beyond in the same year, you pay the full market price without subsidy. The subsidy resets on 1 April each financial year — you again get ₹300 for the first 12 refills.