Question : Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

(a) whether the Government has any statistical data regarding total number of households with LPG connections along with the LPG connections provided under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) to below poverty line (BPL)/Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe families since its inception and if so, the details thereof, year-wise and State/UT-wise;
(b) whether the Government has noticed that the beneficiaries of PMUY scheme are not refilling their connection due to hiked LPG price/lack of funds and if so, the details thereof along with the response of the Government thereto including reducing the price of LPG cylinders/subsidy provided, if any, State/ UT-wise;
(c) the details of average refilling as per beneficiary under the said scheme and the number of first, second, third, etc. refills issued during each of the last three years and the current year, State/ UT-wise;
(d) whether it is a fact that World Health Organisation has acknowledged the PMUY as decisive intervention to control air pollution in the country and if so, the details thereof; and
(e) whether the Government has taken/proposes to take steps to advocate LPG consumers about safety measures and if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise?

MINISTER OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)
(a) State/UT-wise details of LPG connections released including LPG connections released under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) are at Annexure.
(b) & (c) OMCs have reported that nearly 86% of PMUY beneficiaries who are atleast one year old have returned for the second refill. OMCs have reported that average per capita consumption of PMUY beneficiaries is around 4.87 cylinders. The use of LPG by PMUY beneficiary household depends on several factors which include food habits, cooking habits, availability and accessibility to LPG, price of LPG, free availability of firewood, cow dung etc. In order to encourage the PMUY beneficiaries to adopt and use LPG on sustained basis, OMCs have been pursuing the following measures:–
(i) offering swap facility i.e. to provide small 5 kg cylinder against 14.2 kg cylinder as per the requirement.
(ii) conducting Pradhan Mantri LPG Panchayat to educate beneficiaries on the benefits of sustained use of LPG and its safe usage.
(iii) launching audio visual media campaign to spread awareness on advantages of use of LPG.
(iv) targeted SMS campaign to reach to beneficiaries who have not comeback for refill.
(v) display campaign by way of banners, standees and hoardings at public places.
(d) World Health Organisation in its Press Release of 2 May 2018 had mentioned that “the Countries are taking measures to tackle and reduce air pollution from particulate matter. For example, in just two years, India’s Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana Scheme has provided some 37 million women living below the poverty line with free LPG connections to support them to switch to clean household energy use.”
(e) OMCs have given instructions to their LPG distributors to release LPG connections after satisfying and meeting all the safety norms for installation of LPG connections. Further, OMCs have reported that the following measures are adopted for ensuring safety and for educating the prospective LPG customers under PMUY Scheme: -
(i) Proper education is given on safety aspects of LPG usage to the PMUY beneficiaries through safety clinics during the LPG connection distribution melas by way of how to use LPG by demonstration and screening film on safety.
(ii) While issuing LPG connections under PMUY scheme, safety instructions card is given to the beneficiaries.
(iii) All LPG distributors are under strict instructions to install connections at the premises of the PMUY beneficiaries and ensure that the Hotplate is kept at safe location and customer is advised about the safe way to use LPG.
(iv) OMCs’ Officers carry out regular customer contacts and distributorship inspections to monitor the above steps. During inspections, wherever it is found that the distributors are not adhering to the given instructions or non-compliance of given instructions, suitable action under MDG is taken against such defaulting distributors.
(v) Government has launched intensive ‘Safety Campaign’ through print and electronic media highlighting safety norms in usage of LPG.
(vi) LPG Panchayats are also organised to educate the LPG consumers about safety & sustained use of LPG.