International Energy Agency (IEA) praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s signature Ujjwala scheme for providing free cooking gas connection to poor. IEA feels that it would help in improving the health and environment of the women.

The scheme was launched on 1st May 2016 in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh with a target to provide access to LPG across India by 2020.The major source of respiratory disease of rural women and children is use of forest wood and agriculture waste for cooking. The use of cooking gas would bring about both economical and environmental development.

With the BJP, government coming to power in 2014, the number  of LPG connections have increased to 26 crores covering 90% of the population. The Ujjwala scheme was also appreciated by the World Health Organisation (WHO). In one of the reports, WHO had mentioned that many countries in the world are trying to tackle the air  pollution problem. But amongst them India has taken concrete measures by providing LPG connections to the rural household.

At a conference,  IEA , Executive Director Fatih  Birol  mentioned that  last year Indian government  made a remarkable achievement by  providing  electricity connection to all villages.  Since  India is more than 83 per cent dependent on imports for meeting its energy needs. The  increased focus on using bio-energy  would help the country to cut its import  dependence.