The Union government’s Ujjwala scheme for providing free cooking gas connection to the economically weak sections of society has been praised by the International Energy Agency (IEA). The Agency described the scheme as a major achievement in improving the environment and health of the women folk. A large section of the Indian society still uses wood, coal or kerosene as fuel for cooking which causes depletion in forest cover and pollution on combustion. The Ujwala scheme aims to provide cleaner energy alternative to the people in form of LPG cylinders.
Speaking at a conference in New Delhi, IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said that providing access to LPG across India by 2020 is a major achievement. Mr Birol described that providing free LPG cylinders is not merely an energy issue but an economic and a social issue.
The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched by PM Modi on May 1, 2016, in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh it aims to safeguard the health of women and children by providing free cooking gas (LPG) connection to poor families.
