IEA chief praises Ujjwala scheme for aiding women and PM Modi's win

In India, many families in villages used to cook with firewood, coal, or cow-dung, which made lots of smoke.

The government started Ujjwala, a program that gives poor families a cleaner cooking gas called LPG, and it is cheaper for them.

The head of an important energy organization praised the program, saying it changed the lives of women who do most of the cooking.

India's leader, PM Modi, even said the program and women voters helped him win his election.

The program has grown a lot and has given gas connections to more than 10 crore families.

The government also gives money to help these families buy new gas cylinders.

Recently, a conflict in West Asia made gas more expensive around the world.

Because of this, the Indian government let families buy fewer cheap gas cylinders than before and increased the price.

This makes it harder for poor families to keep using clean gas.

Some people who disagree with the government say the higher prices hurt the very families the program was supposed to help.