Ujjwala Yojana: 10 Years of Women Empowerment in India
An Indian woman cooks with a Ujjwala Yojana gas stove, a child nearby, symbolizing empowerment.
Key Highlights
PM Modi’s Ujjwala Yojana celebrates 10 years, empowering over 10 crore women with clean cooking fuel, boosting health, and economic participation.
Ten years after its inception, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) has significantly evolved from merely providing access to clean cooking fuel to becoming a catalyst for women’s empowerment, stated Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The initiative has successfully provided clean cooking gas connections to over 10 crore women nationwide.
Pradhan emphasized that the PMUY has not only led to substantial improvements in household health by reducing exposure to harmful cooking smoke but has also freed up considerable time previously spent by women on collecting traditional fuels. This reclaimed time and improved health have enabled women to engage more actively in economic activities, thereby strengthening their voice and decision-making power within their households and communities.
The scheme’s success underscores a broader shift, moving beyond basic access to tangible empowerment, marking a decade of transformative impact on the lives of millions of women in India.