A huge scam about the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) has been unveiled in the Dindori district of Madhya Pradesh. It has been alleged that approximately 30 women from a village called Khargna were made beneficiaries under the PMUY scheme however to date, no benefit has been received by them.

The people from the village alleged that whenever the supposed beneficiaries from the village visited Sahu Gas Agency which is situated 15 km away in Garasari village, they were sent back after the agency made one excuse or the other.

The women have been waiting for 5 years to get an active gas connection, as was promised to them when they submitted their relevant documents to the gas agencies. Such inaction on the part of the agency as well as authorities has caused great inconvenience to the residents.

FIR Registered Against The Management Of Gas Agency

Women are forced to cook food using fuelwood which produces a lot of smoke and causes respiratory and olfactory diseases. During the monsoon season, they have to use damp wood to cook which takes a lot of time to burn or combust and produces even more smoke.

Despite repeated efforts to visit the gas agency and ask for a gas connection in the past 5 years, no gas connection was installed. This caused disappointment among the people and they eventually stopped visiting the agency which is situated far away from the village.

The gas agency responded to the entire situation by saying that the beneficiary cards of such women are ready with the agency, however, no one has come to collect them to date. After receiving the news of such a scam, the District Collector has ordered a probe into the entire situation.

According to a report, the management of this gas agency has previously been charged with allegations of scam in delivering the benefit of PM Ujjwala Yojana. A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against the operator of the agency in 2022 by the Food and Public Distribution Department.

The PM Ujjwala Yojana is a flagship Central Government scheme. Let us learn in detail about the scheme.

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What Is The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana?

The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) is a govt scheme started by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas that aims to provide free gas connections to women belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) households.

Launched on May 1, 2016, in Uttar Pradesh, the scheme aimed at providing 8 crore LPG connections to households in need. In 2021, a special allocation for 1 crore more LPG connections was made in the Union Budget.

The scheme was initiated after a thorough analysis of the gas connections across India that suggested only urban and suburban areas had this facility. Due to the non-availability of clean cooking fuels, women were forced to cook using firewood or fossil fuels which proved to be hazardous.

A WHO report suggested that around 5 Lakh deaths in India happened just due to the usage of unclean fuel for cooking. To aid the situation, the government introduced the PMUY. Currently, Ujjwala 2.0 is serving the aims and objectives of this scheme.

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What Are The Benefits Of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana?

The PM Ujjwala Yojana has the following benefits:

• Financial Assistance: The government provides Rs. 1600 for a 10 kg cylinder and Rs. 1150 for a 5 kg cylinder. Such assistance covers the security deposit, pressure regulator, hose, consumer card and installation charges.

• Free Products: A gas stove and refill are given free for the first time to the beneficiaries.

• Subsidy: Subsidies up to 300 rs per 14.2 kg cylinder are targeted for the present financial year.

• Health Benefits: Since LPG is a clean alternative and does not produce smoke or hazardous gases, it aids the health of the users.

• Women Empowerment: the scheme is primarily aimed at benefiting women and facilitating their environment. It empowers women by providing connections in their name.

For complete details about the scheme read the article on Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana.

What Is The Eligibility Criteria For Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana?

To avail of the benefits of this scheme, women must belong to any of the following categories.

• Adult women with a minimum of 18 years of age.

• SC/ST Households

• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin)

• Most Backward Classes

• Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)

• Tea and ex-tea garden tribes

• Forest residents

• People living on islands and river islands

• SECC Households (AHL TIN)

• Poor Household as per 14-point declaration

• There must not be any other LPG connections in the same household.

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How To Apply For PM Ujjwala Yojana Online?

To apply for Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana online, follow the instructions given below.

• Visit the official PMUY website.

• Select ‘Click Here’ to apply for new Ujjwala 2.0 connection.

• Choose from Indane, Bharat Gas, or HP Gas.

• You will then be redirected to the respective websites.

• Enter your registered mobile number if you are an existing user. Alternatively, you can also create a new account by entering your personal details, including your mobile number and email address.

• Login by entering your password.

• You can apply for a new connection by submitting your KYC. Select the scheme and click on Submit.

• If you already have a connection, you can also link your existing connection.

• Upload all the relevant documents and fill in the required details. The process will take around 8 minutes.

• Upon successful verification and if you meet the eligibility criteria, you can avail the benefits of this scheme.

What Are The Documents Required For Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana?

You can apply for this scheme by providing the basic information and documents, such as

• KYC

• Ration Card

• Document certifying family composition

• Aadhar card

• Address proof

• Bank Account

• IFSC Code

.

Conclusion

Providing LPG gas connections is now a necessity for both the government and the stakeholders. To protect the health of women and reduce the time and effort taken to cook, this scheme has been introduced. It has significantly improved the lives of the women who are beneficiaries under this scheme and the government strives to increase such a number in the country.

For queries or grievances, reach out to the concerned officials on PMUY’s toll-free helpline number 1800-233-3555. You can also stay in touch with Jaagruk Bharat for more of such latest news. If you have any queries, you can post them here.