Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to relaunch the Ujjwala scheme before the UP Legislative Assembly elections. In this scheme being launched with new attitude, new color, now gas stove is also being given free of cost along with LPG filled cylinders.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch Ujjwala Yojana 2.0 from Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. Under Ujjwala 2.0, the beneficiary will get free gas connection as well as stove and filled cylinder. The Ujjwala scheme of the Center was discussed a lot in the 2017 assembly elections in UP and it was also credited for the big victory of the BJP. However, in the first version of Ujjwala, the government used to provide financial assistance of Rs 1600 (deposit money) only for LPG connections. Under this scheme, households getting gas connections could take loans for stoves and cylinders without any interest.
Under Ujjwala 2.0, the central government will distribute about one crore gas connections free of cost to the poor in this financial year. About five years ago today, ahead of the UP elections, PM Modi had launched the first version of the scheme (Ujjwala 1.0) on May 1, 2016 in Ballia district of the state. Under Ujjwala 2.0, a cylinder and a stove costing more than Rs 800 are expected to be provided free of cost, an official said on condition of anonymity. The intention of the scheme was announced in this year’s budget.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 had announced to expand the scheme to 1 crore new beneficiaries in 2021-22. He said in his budget speech, the Ujjwala scheme, which has benefited 8 crore families, will be expanded to cover more than 1 crore more beneficiaries. Apart from free first refill and deposit free gas connection with stove, there will be provision for online application in the new form of this scheme.
A migrant family can also get a separate gas connection, the official said. Preference will be given to poor families belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), he said. Under this scheme applicants will have to fill a form for KYC, for which no notary’s affidavit will be required. At the same time, if the migrants do not have a residence certificate, then they will be given the option of self-declaration. People can apply online through the Common Service Center or through the website of gas companies.
