In a major policy change, the Central Government has reduced the number of subsidised LPG cylinders available annually to beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) from nine to four. The decision was announced on Monday and is aimed at aligning subsidy support with the average cooking gas consumption of Ujjwala households.
According to a senior government official data analysis showed that most PMUY beneficiaries consume around four LPG cylinders a year. Based on this consumption pattern, the government decided to change the annual subsidy entitlement, saying that the earlier limit of nine subsidized cylinders was significantly higher than the average usage level Moneycontrol reported.
Under the revised rules, eligible beneficiaries will continue to get subsidy benefits but only on the first four LPG cylinder refills they purchase during a financial year. Any additional cylinders purchased over and above the said cap will be sold at the usual market price in the absence of subsidy support.
The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, launched in May 2016, aims at providing clean cooking fuel to women from poor households. The scheme was launched to reduce dependence on traditional fuels like firewood, coal and cow dung, which are responsible for indoor air pollution and health problems. Over the years, the programme has grown to be one of the biggest welfare schemes of the government, providing LPG connections to over 10 crore beneficiaries across the country.
The latest decision is expected to have a direct impact on millions of households that rely on subsidised LPG refills. While the government maintains that the revised cap reflects actual consumption patterns, families that use more than four cylinders annually may face higher cooking fuel expenses as they will have to purchase additional refills at market rates.
Officials said the move is part of efforts to make the subsidy programme more targeted and efficient. By limiting subsidies to the average level of consumption, the government hopes to optimise expenditure while continuing to support low-income households that depend on LPG for cooking.
The Ujjwala scheme continues to be an important part of India’s clean energy and social welfare agenda. While the government has announced the end of subsidised refills, it has also said that it remains committed to increasing LPG adoption among the economically weaker sections and providing access to cleaner cooking fuel across the country.
