New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said to the “Ujjwala Yojana Beneficiaries” that he was delighted to interact the sisters of UP ahead of Raksha Bandhan. He launched “Ujjwala 2.0” PMUY on Tuesday through video conferencing by handing over LPG connections, at Mahoba Uttar Pradesh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his interaction address with the PMUY beneficiaries 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, the pioneer of the freedom struggle.

PM Ujjwala Yojana has given great emphasis to the resolve of health, convenience & empowerment of women. In the first phase of the scheme, 8 crore poor, dalit, deprived, backward, tribal families were given free gas connections: PM @narendramodi #PMUjjwala2 pic.twitter.com/Aax3hSmklM

— PIB India (@PIB_India) August 10, 2021

He also said today the second edition of Ujjwala is also launched from UP’s Veerbhoomi – Mahoba. He remembered another son of the soil of Bundelkhand, Major Dhyan Chand or Dadda Dhyan Chand. He said the name of the country’s highest sports award is now named as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. He said this will inspire lakhs of people who want to pursue sports.

The Prime Minister lamented the then governments, that the countrymen had to wait for decades for getting many basic amenities such as Housing, Electricity, Water, Toilet, Gas, Roads, Hospital and School. He said that our daughters will be able to come out of the house and kitchen and contribute extensively in nation building only when the problems related to house and kitchen are solved first.

He also said his government has worked to get solutions to various issues on a mission mode in the span of 6-7 years. He listed many such interventions like crores of toilets being built across the country under Swachh Bharat Mission; more than 2 crore houses for poor families, mostly,  in the names of women; rural roads; 3 crore families got electricity connection; Ayushman Bharat is giving 50 crore people cover for upto 5 lakh rupees worth of medical treatment;

Direct money transfer for vaccination and nutrition during pregnancy under Matru Vandana Yojana; 30 thousand crore rupees were deposited by the government in the Jan Dhan Account of women during Corona period; Our sister are getting piped wanted under Jal Jeevan Mission.  He said that these schemes have brought massive transformation in the lives of women.

PM noted that the resolve of health, convenience and empowerment of sisters has received great impetus from Ujjwala Yojana. In the first phase of the scheme, 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 manifold expansion of LPG gas infrastructure. During the last 6-7 years more than 11 thousand LPG distribution centres have been opened.