PM launches Ujjwala 2.0 in UP’s Mahoba, dedicates 9 TPD CBG plant to nation

New Delhi: On the occasion of World Bio Fuel Day on Tuesday, a number of important initiatives in the energy sector were launched and unveiled as Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Ujjwala 2.0 (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana – PMUY) in Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh, via video conferencing, and dedicated a 9 TPD Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) plant of Indian Potash Limited and three retail outlets of Indian Oil to the nation. The CBG plant and the three Indian Oil retail outlets are located in Rohanakalan, Muzzafarnagar, and the latter will market the CBG produced from the plant.

Addressing the event, the Prime Minister said he was delighted to address the sisters of UP ahead of Raksha Bandhan. He said the number of people, especially women, whose lives have been illuminated by the Ujjwala Yojana is unprecedented. This scheme was launched in 2016 from Ballia in UP, from the land of Mangal Pandey, a pioneer of the freedom struggle. He said today that the second edition of Ujjwala is also launched from UP's Veerbhoomi: Mahoba. 

The PM noted that the resolve of health, convenience and empowerment of sisters has received great impetus from Ujjwala Yojana. In the scheme's first phase, 8 crore poor, Dalit, deprived, backward and tribal families were given free gas connections. He said the benefit of this free gas connection was felt in the era of the Corona pandemic. Ujjawala Yojana has led to a manifold expansion of LPG gas infrastructure. During the last 6-7 years more than 11 thousand LPG distribution centres have been opened. In UP, the number of these centres have increased to from 2,000 in 2014 to 4,000. 

Many, he said, from all over UP and other states, including Bundelkhand, migrated from village to city or to other states for work. There they face the problem of address proof. He said that Ujjwala 2.0 scheme will give maximum benefit to lakhs of such families. He added that now these workers from other places need not run from pillar to post for address proof. He said the government has full faith in the honesty of migrant workers. All one has to do is give a self-declaration of the address for getting a gas connection.

Modi also said that efforts are on to provide gas through pipes at a much larger scale. He said PNG is much cheaper than cylinder and work is on to provide PNG in many districts of eastern India, including in UP. In the first phase, a target has been to connect 12 lakh households in more than 50 districts of UP. 

Speaking about the benefits of Biofuel, the Prime Minister said Biofuel is not just a clean fuel, rather it is also a medium to accelerate the engine of self-reliance in fuel, the engine of development of the country and the engine of development of the village. He added biofuel is an energy that we can get from household and farm waste, from plants, from spoiled grains. He informed that we are very near to our goal of 10 percent blending in the last 6-7 years and we are moving towards 20 percent blending in the next 4-5 years. In Uttar Pradesh, during the last year, 7 thousand crore worth of ethanol was purchased. Many ethanol and biofuel related units were established in the state. Process for establishing units for making compressed biogas from sugarcane waste, CBG plants is going on in 70 districts of the state. Plants are coming up in Budaun and Gorakhpur for making biofuel from 'parali'.

The Prime Minister said now the country is moving towards fulfilling the dream of a better life, from the fulfilment of basic amenities. We have to increase this potential manifold in the coming 25 years. Together we have to prove this resolve of a capable India. Sisters are going to have a special role in this.

(PSU Watch– India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy is now on Google News. Click here to follow. Also, join PSU Watch Channel in your Telegram. You may also follow us on Twitter here and stay updated.)