Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched the second phase of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). Known as Ujjwala 2.0, phase 2 of the scheme kicked off in Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh, with PM Modi inaugurating it virtually.
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“Ujjwala Yojana benefitted women’s lives in an unprecedented way," PM Modi said, mentioning names of some prominent personalities associated with Mahoba. He made a particular mention of another prominent personality from the region, Major Dhyan Chand, recalling the decision to rename the country's highest sporting award after the hockey legend. PM Modi also hailed performances of India's men and women hockey teams in the recently concluded Olympics in Tokyo.
He then listed some steps taken by the Union government in the last six years, explaining how each of those benefitted women. "In the first phase of Ujjwala Yojana, 80 million women received free LPG connections. These connections benefitted families during the lockdown. Imagine what would have happened if Ujjawala Yojana was there?" PM Modi said.
{{/usCountry}}He then listed some steps taken by the Union government in the last six years, explaining how each of those benefitted women. "In the first phase of Ujjwala Yojana, 80 million women received free LPG connections. These connections benefitted families during the lockdown. Imagine what would have happened if Ujjawala Yojana was there?" PM Modi said.
{{/usCountry}}In the last seven years, we gave more gas connections than the total number of connections given before 2014, the prime minister further said.
On the occasion, 1000 women beneficiaries were present, out of whom, 10 were given LPG cylinder connections by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath in a symbolic gesture. The event also saw PM Modi interact with five women beneficiaries, one each from Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, respectively.
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Besides PM Modi, UP CM Adityanath, too, addressed the gathering. Union petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Uttar Pradesh deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma were among those who attended the ceremony.
Ujjwala 1.0 was launched on May 1, 2016, by PM Modi in Ballia, also in Uttar Pradesh. The first phase was completed in August 2019, seven months before the March 2020 deadline.