Impact of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana in Jammu and Kashmir

In rural J&K, 85.07% households have official LPG connections. Nearly 68% of this was sold under PMUY. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu

TInternational Energy Agency says about 681 million people in India depend on solid fuel for cooking. This causes health and environmental problems. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) aims to promote the adoption of clean fuel by providing subsidized LPG connections to poor households. So far, the government has provided 10.3 crore LPG connections under this scheme. We study the impact of the scheme in Jammu and Kashmir.

The study used primary survey data from 820 households in 48 villages in Kulgam and Rajouri districts, which are relatively sparsely populated. A systematic random sampling method was used, with 24 villages selected from each district, to ensure coverage of all tehsils in the district. The number of villages selected from each tehsil is proportional to the population size. The survey design ensures representation of various economic categories, including Above Poverty Line (APL), Below Poverty Line (BPL), and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households. A comprehensive questionnaire was administered to female household members responsible for cooking.

LPG connection adoption

We found that in rural areas of J&K, 85.07% households have official LPG connections. Nearly 68% of this was sold under PMUY. Only 4.41% of households in rural areas, especially in hilly areas such as Rajouri (in Jammu), do not have access to LPG, while 10.53% depend on informal connections.

However, despite the increasing availability of LPG, traditional cooking methods remain widespread. About 92% of households still maintain traditional chulhas, and 85% of households engage in fuel stacking, using solid fuel and LPG. This pattern reflects the cultural attachment to traditional cooking methods, as well as affordability issues, which limit exclusive reliance on LPG.

The average number of LPG cylinders consumed per household in the last six months is 3.56, which indicates moderate usage. In Kulgam, PMUY beneficiary households reported a higher adoption rate (3.54 cylinders) than eligible non-PMUY consumer households (3.21). In Rajouri, the adoption rate among PMUY recipient households is lower than that of general consumer households. Reliance on solid fuels such as firewood, with an average consumption of 226 kilograms per household in six months, reflects a dual-use cooking system.

One of the main objectives of PMUY is to reduce the health burden of women by reducing exposure to indoor smoke from traditional cooking fuels. The survey showed significant health benefits for women in households using LPG according to PMUY, in Kulgam. Among BPL households, the incidence of respiratory problems, such as cough, chest infections, and headaches, showed a marked decline. Beneficiary non-PMUY BPL households reported a 24% incidence of cough during the one-month period prior to data collection, while PMUY beneficiaries experienced a drop to 21%. The reduction was more significant in AAY households, where non-beneficiaries reported a 13% incidence of cough, but beneficiaries saw it drop to 10%. A similar trend was observed for headaches and chest infections.

Households with additional appliances such as rice cookers, and educated members, also experience better health outcomes. For example, PMUY beneficiaries with rice cookers reported a reduced incidence of cough (20%) compared to non-beneficiaries. In households where the main cook has secondary education or higher, the incidence of chest infections drops to 4% in BPL households.

Barriers to exclusive use of LPG

However, certain obstacles continue to hinder exclusive reliance on clean cooking fuels. The first is the lack of awareness about the health benefits of LPG. In the survey, 47% of households were unaware of the health risks associated with solid fuel use. This is compounded by the fact that 64% of households do not have a TV, and 33% of households state that the female member in charge of cooking does not have a mobile phone. These gaps in communication highlight the need for targeted awareness campaigns.

The second obstacle is financial. The cost of filling LPG cylinders remains a burden for many households. This often leads to fuel stacking, where households use cheaper but more dangerous solid fuels. Fuel stockpiles remain common in 85% of households, underscoring the need for more comprehensive financial support to make LPG refilling more affordable.

The study highlights the importance of awareness and access to modern equipment to promote clean fuel. Households that are more aware of the health benefits of LPG report higher LPG consumption (3.73 cylinders on average) and lower firewood consumption (216 kg) compared to those without such awareness. In addition, households that do not perceive the difference in taste between food cooked with LPG and traditional fuel are more likely to rely solely on LPG, with an average consumption of 4.27 cylinders. Rice cooker availability was associated with higher LPG use (3.59 cylinders) compared to households without the appliance.

Developing a network of LPG distribution points in rural areas and increasing financial support for refilling can increase adoption of the clean fuel.

Irfan Ahmad Sofi, Assistant Professor of Economics at IUST, Kashmir; Santosh Mehrotra, Teaches economics at JNU, and is an independent economist