What is the primary objective of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) launched by the Government of India?

Introduction / Context:
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) is one of the flagship welfare schemes of the Government of India aimed at improving the quality of life of poor households, especially women, by providing access to clean cooking fuel. Exam questions frequently ask candidates to match schemes with their main objectives, and confusing Ujjwala with other schemes on electricity, lighting or roads is a common trap. This question checks whether you can correctly associate PMUY with its core goal.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The scheme in question is Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.
• The options mention electricity, LED bulbs, LPG connections and village roads.
• We know that several other schemes cover rural electrification, LED bulb distribution and road construction.
• The task is to single out the specific objective unique to PMUY.

Concept / Approach:
PMUY was launched to provide LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cooking gas connections to women belonging to poor households, particularly those identified in the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC). The scheme aims to replace traditional biomass based cooking, which causes indoor air pollution and health problems, with clean fuel. In contrast, programmes like Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana and Saubhagya focus on electricity, the UJALA scheme focuses on LED bulbs, and the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) focuses on rural roads. Therefore, the primary aim of Ujjwala is clearly the provision of LPG connections to poor households, not the other purposes listed in the options.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the main slogan and imagery associated with Ujjwala Yojana, which highlight women holding LPG cylinders and using clean cooking gas.Step 2: Understand that the scheme targets women from below poverty line or otherwise identified poor households to provide free or subsidised LPG connections.Step 3: Compare this with other schemes: LED bulbs (UJALA), rural roads (PMGSY), and electrification (Saubhagya and related schemes).Step 4: Recognise that none of those objectives match the unique focus of Ujjwala on LPG connections.Step 5: Select the option that explicitly mentions providing LPG cooking gas connections to poor households.

Verification / Alternative check:
Government documents and scheme brochures for PMUY state that its main objective is to provide 5 crore (and later more) LPG connections to women from poor families to ensure access to clean fuel for cooking. They highlight the health, environmental and empowerment benefits of such access. Conversely, official descriptions of UJALA, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana and PMGSY clearly assign them to LEDs, electricity and rural roads, respectively. This cross referencing confirms that the LPG connection objective is the hallmark of Ujjwala Yojana.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• To provide electricity to all rural households: This is the main goal of schemes like Saubhagya, not PMUY.
• To provide LED bulbs at subsidised rates: This describes the UJALA scheme, not Ujjwala.
• To construct village roads in rural areas: This is the objective of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), not Ujjwala.

Common Pitfalls:
Because many schemes begin with the words "Pradhan Mantri" and relate to basic infrastructure, students often mix them up. It is easy to confuse Ujjwala with UJALA due to the similarity in names, or to wrongly associate it with electrification and roads. A useful memory trick is to link Ujjwala (brightening the kitchen) with LPG cylinders and women beneficiaries, while UJALA (light) goes with bulbs and electricity. Keeping these associations clear will help you avoid errors in scheme based questions.

Final Answer:
The major aim of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana is to provide LPG cooking gas connections to poor households, especially to women from such families.