MUMBAI — Families in Indian villages switching to exclusive use of LPG would save more than 1,50,000 lives a year due to reduction in both indoor and outdoor pollution that arises from ‘chulha (wood/coal stove)’ smoke in household kitchens, according to a study by global public health organisation Vital Strategies.  The report comes out strongly in favour of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) stating that the subsidies to provide LPG to poor families were justified on the ground of health gains for the population. Household air pollution remains a leading source of ambient air pollution across India, disproportionately affecting people in rural areas and negatively affecting air quality in urban areas. Sustained, near exclusive use of clean household energy is required to substantially reduce exposure to household air pollution and to promote public health at the population level, the report observes. “The PMUY program, the government’s flagship effort to scale clean household energy for poor households, has ushered in unprecedented Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) access,” the report states. LPG is a popular fuel used for cooking. Yet, many households continue to rely on solid fuel for household energy needs. The report presents findings from a cost-effectiveness analysis of various...