The Pradhan Mantri LPG Panchayat Scheme is a government programme that allows beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) to interact with one another, as well as with other officials and local government workers, and share their experiences. The first LPG Panchayat was set up in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, in 2016, with the main objective of educating women about the benefits of using LPG instead of conventional fossil fuels.

This topic of “Pradhan Mantri LPG Panchayat Scheme” is important from the perspective of the UPSC IAS Examination, which falls under General Studies Paper 2 (Mains) and General Studies Paper 1 (Prelims) and particularly in the Governance section.

In this article, we shall discuss the PM LPG Panchayat Scheme, Its Objectives, benefits, and all other important details for UPSC.

Latest News around PM LPG Panchayat

On Ujjwala Diwas, May 1, 2022, oil marketing companies hosted over 5000 LPG panchayats to increase customer enrolment while providing safe and sustained LPG usage.

• In January 2022, Himachal Pradesh became India’s first smoke-free state. It is a significant achievement made possible by welfare schemes such as the Centre’s ‘Ujjwala Yojana’ and the state government’s ‘Himachal Grihini Suvidha’.
• Himachal has become the country’s first 100 per cent LPG-enabled state, which means that 100% of households in Himachal have LPG connections.

Check out the linked article on the Kusum scheme now.

What is PM LPG Panchayat Scheme?

PM LPG Panchayat is a scheme introduced by the Union Government to improve the interaction between Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) beneficiaries. The government has provided LPG connections to low-income families through the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).

• The idea behind this programme is that when members of a specific group can interact, they will share their experiences and knowledge to support one another.
• To provide a platform for Ujjwala Yojana participants to interact with one another, with officials, and with local government employees and share their experiences.
• Additionally, they can learn about the safety measures to be taken when using LPG cylinders, their effects on women's health, and their effectiveness.

Vision of PM LPG Panchayat

The PMUY scheme is designed to furnish LPG connections to every household living below the poverty line, with the primary goal of eliminating the reliance on biomass and wood as cooking fuels. Furthermore, adopting LPG for cooking also safeguards the health of household members, reducing the risks associated with biomass or wood fuel usage.

Objectives of PM LPG Panchayat

Here are the objectives of the PM LPG Panchayat:

• LPG Panchayats are educating women on how to use LPG to live smoke-free lives and how LPG can help them live a healthier lifestyle, save time by reducing manual work, and allow them to pursue other income-generating and socially rewarding endeavours.
• Every below-income household in the country should have an LPG connection.
• Rural women should be aware and encouraged to use LPG instead of traditional fossil fuels.
• To provide LPG connections to 5 crore households in the country to ensure universal coverage of cooking gas, thereby empowering women and protecting their health.
• To educate women and safeguard their health, LPG Panchayat has developed a strategy which includes distributing manuals, providing information on benefits, etc.

Themes covered under PM LPG Panchayat

The concept of LPG panchayats is an additional step to encourage people to use LPG gas without hesitation under PM Ujwala Scheme. The themes covered under LPG Panchayat are as follows:

Health

A World Health Organization (WHO) report states that indoor smoke pollution is responsible for 5 lakh deaths annually in India, making it the leading cause of death in the country. Women are the most vulnerable among those affected by the health issues associated with cooking using polluting fuels, with nearly four million affected each year. Using conventional fuel or wood/biomass for cooking leads to indoor air pollution, posing significant health hazards for household members. By transitioning from traditional cooking methods to LPG connections, households can mitigate the aforementioned health risks.

Economic Costs

Utilizing an LPG connection for cooking generally incurs lower economic costs than using wood, biomass, or coal as fuel. Adopting LPG reduces cooking time, enabling women to allocate their time to other activities. The collection of firewood for cooking often leads to compromises in various aspects of life, particularly for women. For instance, if a girl is responsible for gathering firewood, it can hinder her ability to concentrate on her studies, potentially resulting in her dropping out of school. Having LPG connections will greatly benefit girls, allowing them to attend school without the burden of firewood collection.

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Safety

Safety is a key priority of the PMUY scheme, with a strong emphasis on educating beneficiaries about the proper usage of LPG connections. During the distribution of LPG connections, beneficiaries are provided with demonstrations on safely handling the cylinders. Additionally, a comprehensive safety card is given to the beneficiaries, detailing the necessary precautions and guidelines for using an LPG cylinder. To address emergencies such as leaks, dedicated helplines are available for customers to seek assistance and guidance.

Environment

The PMUY scheme has made a noteworthy contribution to the environment, earning recognition from the World Health Organisation (WHO) for its positive impact. Using firewood or biomass in rural areas has detrimental effects on the environment. Despite the availability of LPG, many people still perceive firewood and biomass as cheaper alternatives, hindering the transition to cleaner fuels. The smoke emitted from burning firewood and biomass harms the environment and poses health risks to household members. By adopting LPG, households can utilize cleaner fuel for cooking. It reduces both the environmental impact and health hazards associated with traditional fuels.

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Empowerment

• Women’s empowerment is inextricably linked to the country’s energy economy, and this goal is driving investments across the entire value chain. Currently, Millions of women’s lives have been transformed due to the PMUY scheme.
• The Ujjwala Yojana empowers women to live smoke-free lives, resulting in a healthier lifestyle, saving them time by reducing drudgery and allowing them to pursue other income-generating and socially rewarding activities.

Also, read about Mission Shakti for UPSC!

Need for PM LPG Panchayat

• The PM LPG Panchayat serves a crucial purpose in addressing the needs of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in rural areas.
• The PM LPG Panchayat aims to create a platform where LPG consumers can gather. To discuss various issues related to LPG usage and its benefits.
• This initiative aims to spread awareness about the advantages of using LPG as a clean cooking fuel, particularly among rural households that still rely on traditional cooking fuels like wood, coal, or cow dung.
• The PM LPG Panchayat encourages the adoption of LPG as a safer, more convenient, and environmentally friendly alternative for cooking.
• Through these panchayats, consumers can exchange experiences. To learn about LPG safety measures, share best practices, and address any concerns or difficulties they may face in accessing or utilizing LPG cylinders.
• The panchayats also allow government representatives, LPG distributors, and other stakeholders to interact directly with consumers and address their queries or issues.

Overall, the PM LPG Panchayat plays a crucial role in promoting LPG usage, improving rural households' quality of life, and achieving a clean and sustainable energy future for India.

Participants of the PM LPG Panchayat

To ensure maximum participation, the government has made efforts to encourage the attendance of specific individuals at LPG Panchayats:

• Young girls: Government research indicates that the presence of young women and girls in households expedites the transition to LPG connections. The government aims to have at least 1/4th of the attendees be young girls.
• Local woman leader: The government ensures the presence of a local woman leader at the LPG Panchayat. This leader can be from various professions, such as a teacher, nurse, doctor, health worker, police officer, businesswoman, social or political activist, advocate, or artist.
• Local ASHA workers: The attendance of local ASHA workers is crucial as they have regular interactions with women, enabling them to convey their problems effectively.
• Anganwadi workers: Aanganwadi workers, responsible for preparing meals for children, also participate in the Panchayats.
• Primary School teachers, Mid-Day Meal Coordinators, Bhojan Matas: Workers involved in cooking mid-day meals in wooden churches, such as primary school teachers, mid-day meal coordinators, and Bhojan Matas, are encouraged to attend.
• NRLM Community Mobilizers: Community mobilizers from the NRLM (National Rural Livelihood Mission) who work with women on savings and self-help groups also join the Panchayats.
• Women Panchayat representatives and other local community leaders: Influential women, including Women Panchayat representatives and other local community leaders, are important attendees at the Panchayats.

Check out the linked article on the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) now.

Benefits of PM LPG Panchayat

Pradhan Mantri LPG Panchayat Scheme is a platform that has proven to be very informative for beneficiaries of the PM Ujjwala scheme, particularly rural women. The LPG Panchayat has several benefits, which are discussed below:

• The PM, LPG Panchayat scheme, provides beneficiaries with subsidies on up to 12 gas cylinders.
• It will provide a subsidy of Rs.200/cylinder.
• This scheme includes free first refills, gas chulhas, etc.
• To apply for the PM LPG Panchayat scheme, applicants must be at least 18 years old.
• Every family will receive one LPG cylinder. This scheme is not available to family members who live together.

Conclusion

The Pradhan Mantri LPG Panchayat Scheme aims to protect women’s health by educating them on using clean cooking fuel (LPG) so that rural women do not risk their health in smoky kitchens or wander in dangerous areas collecting firewood. Additionally, Participants in the PM Ujjwala programme can interact and share their experiences with other participants, officials, and local government workers

PM LPG Panchayat UPSC Facts and Figures

Here are some facts and figures about the PM LPG Panchayat for the UPSC Exam:

UPSC Previous Year Questions

Q1. ‘Clean energy is the order of the day’. Describe briefly India’s changing policy towards climate change in various international fora in the context of geopolitics. (UPSC Mains 2022, GS Paper 2).

Q2. Performance of welfare schemes that are implemented for vulnerable sections is not so effective due to the absence of their awareness and active involvement at all stages of the policy process. Discuss (UPSC Mains 2019, GS Paper 2).

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