Fuel for Progress: Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) and Rural India

Abstract

The aim of this research study acts as a guide to assess the PMUY scheme as a sustainable pathway by prioritising sustainability to engage the actions for achieving the numerous SDGs, specifically Goal 1 (No Poverty), Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), Goal 5 (Gender Equality), Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), and Goal 13 (Climate Action). The Inquiry in this study begins with the qualitative Investigation of human experiences with regard to the PMUY scheme with respect to the aforementioned specified SDGs. Furthermore, a quantitative investigation was performed with the help of an explorative approach to find out various factors and a descriptive approach to evaluate and analyse the identified variables concerning the attainment of selected SDGs. The seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were established by the United Nations (UN), and as a result, human beings are attempting to traverse the sustainable pathway. Meanwhile, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) Scheme was launched as a green initiative with the objective to provide clean cooking fuel, such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), accessible to the deprived rural households, which were habituated to traditional fuel having adverse effects on the health of the society as well as affecting the environment. With the help of a survey schedule, data was collected by the researcher from the top three poor districts and 10 Villages from each district of Northern rural region of India. The various statistical techniques, such as correlation, regression and ANOVA, were applied to test the formulated hypotheses. The study’s outcome is insightful for accomplishing the UN SDGs in an effective way. The study also helps stakeholders such as the government and policymakers in carving out effective policies and strategies to improve the efficiency of the PMUY Scheme.