Study links Ujjwala limits to gender dynamics, not inflation

A study of the Narendra Modi government’s social welfare schemes has asserted that beneficiaries of its Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) opted out of subsequent refills of subsidised cooking gas cylinders due to gender dynamics and the easy availability of traditional alternatives, rather than inflation.

A discussion paper in the larger analysis of the nine years of Garib Kalyan recommended designing effective policy strategies that not only aim to incorporate women as beneficiaries of schemes but also address gender dynamics to promote equal decision-making powers.

It suggested “enhancing women’s position and changing prevalent patriarchal power dynamics” to facilitate the transition from the “smoky kitchen to smokeless”.

The study on social welfare schemes is part of a series of books that the National Book Trust, under the Union Ministry of Education, is in the process of publishing. The books are authored by researchers from leading centrally funded institutions.

Published under the Intellectual Heritage Project, the books are titled ‘Beyond Boundaries: A Study of the Social Impact of Mann Ki Baat’ and ‘Policies for the Poor and Marginals: A Study of Garib Kalyan Schemes in India’, both by the Prayagraj-based Govind Ballabh Pant Social Science Institute.

Other books in the series include ‘Towards Naya Bharat: A Study of Infrastructure, Community, and Development’ by the National Institute of Industrial Engineering, ‘Renewable Energy Generation’ by the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, and ‘Making New India’ by the National Skill Development Corporation.

According to Badri Narayan, director of Govind Ballabh Pant Social Science Institute, it is rare for leading research institutes of the country to conduct a holistic assessment of the government’s schemes, a gap that this series has addressed. He told Business Standard that the research is based on secondary data and field surveys.

“Government schemes have shaped a significant ‘beneficiary class’ among socially and economically weaker groups, instilling hope and aspiration in them and helping them lift themselves out of poverty,” the academic said.

The Intellectual Heritage Project is a collaboration of central universities, research institutes, and centres of higher learning with ministries of the central government working on social welfare and governance-related knowledge programmes.

Under the project, themes on schemes are “identified in consultation with respective ministries”.

Regarding PMUY, a discussion paper noted that clean fuels increase women’s quality of life, decrease drudgery, and improve opportunities for better employment, education, or recreation. However, it said that “effective policy strategies” should focus on “not only incorporating women but also addressing gender dynamics, where decision-making power should be equal”.

If the decision affects the life of a man or woman, “that person should receive privileges”, it said.

The PMUY should explore more potential interventions to bridge the gap, design awareness programmes to bring about meaningful changes in cooking practices, and develop tools to change perspectives, making smokeless kitchens a reality in India, the study stated.

The study has commended the success of the PM Awas Yojana (Gramin), noting the positive gender gap in house ownership — more houses constructed in the name of women — under the scheme in Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Uttarakhand.

Of the total homes built in India, 18.32 per cent were for Scheduled Tribes, 20.63 per cent for Scheduled Castes, and 11.63 per cent for minorities during 2016-23. This highlights the scheme’s all-embracing character.

Lauding the plugging of leaks in the public distribution system (PDS), it noted some of the systemic issues affecting the targeted PDS, such as the rising food subsidy bill and a large stock of foodgrain lying in the central pool, which only adds to the fiscal burden.

Given that India ranks 107 out of 169 on the Global Hunger Index, the country should aim to shift from traditional ‘food security’ to ‘nutritional security’ by diversifying the food basket, the study stated.