3 years of Modi govt: NDA's energy plan powered UP win, but not winner yet

Centre claims to have saved money by targeted coverage but critics say system isn't yet foolproof

Many called it ‘Pradhan Mantri Uttar Pradesh Yojana’ since more than 30 per cent of the beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), aimed at giving LPG connections to families below the poverty line, were in the Hindi heartland, where the BJP managed a stupendous electoral victory in March. Whether it is the PMUY or rural electrification under the Deendayal Updhayay Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY), flagship programmes aimed at increasing energy access among the poor have paid dividends for the NDA government.

The DDUGJY and Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) saw a surge in their budgetary allocation by 43