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WHO praises India's Ujjwala Yojana: All about the PM's initiative

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: May 02, 2018, 08:10 PM IST
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Representative photo. Photograph:(Others)

The WHO on Wednesday lauded the BJP-led NDA government’s Ujjwala Yojana to provide free LPG connections to rural households as an effort to reduce household pollution by helping families switch to cleaner energy sources. 

PM’s initiative to provide a shield to women and children from smoke has been much admired in the new WHO pollution report.

Importantly, the South-East Asia region of the WHO, which comprises 11 countries, including India is the second largest contributor to the global mortality due to household and ambient air pollution.

About Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) 

The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) or the Ujjwala Scheme was launched by PM Modi on May 1, 2016, in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh. The scheme aims to protect women and children from the smoke emitted from households using firewood for cooking purposes. Under the scheme, families below the poverty line are to be provided with LPG connections with a support of Rs. 1,600 per connection in the next three years.

Ensuring women’s empowerment, especially in rural India, the connections will be issued in the name of women of the households. Rs 8000 crore has been allocated towards the implementation of the scheme. Identification of the BPL families will be done through Socio-Economic Caste Census Data.