Ujjwala Yojana: Govt to provide 25 lakh new LPG connections, beneficiaries now 10.6 crore

The government will provide 25 lakh additional free LPG connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), taking the total number of beneficiary families to 10.60 crore, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced on Monday.

Calling the move a “great gift to women’s power” at the onset of the Navratri festival, Puri said the decision reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to honour and empower women.

“With the auspicious beginning of Navratri, the gift of 25 lakh new free Ujjwala connections is yet another proof that PM Modi ji respects women like Goddess Durga,” Puri posted on X in Hindi.

The minister said the government will spend ₹2,050 on each new connection to provide free LPG cylinders, gas stoves, regulators and other accessories.

“Currently, with the Modi government’s ₹300 subsidy, cylinders for over 10.33 crore Ujjwala families are refilled for just ₹553, a price lower than in many LPG-producing countries around the world,” he added.

The Union Cabinet last month approved the continuation of targeted LPG subsidy for PMUY beneficiaries for the financial year 2025-26 at an expenditure of ₹12,000 crore, along with ₹30,000 crore as compensation to public sector oil marketing companies for under-recoveries on sale of domestic LPG.

Launched in May 2016, PMUY provides deposit-free LPG connections to adult women from poor households, including a free first refill and stove under Ujjwala 2.0.

Beneficiaries are not required to make any payments for the LPG connection, the first refill or the stove.

The government initially introduced a targeted subsidy of ₹200 per 14.2 kg cylinder for up to 12 refills per year in May 2022 and later increased it to ₹300 per cylinder.

The total expenditure on the Ujjwala scheme till 2024-25 is estimated at around ₹52,000 crore.

“The Ujjwala scheme has not only brightened kitchens but has also illuminated the future of entire families,” Puri said, describing the initiative as a “torch of a massive revolution” across the country.

India imports about 60% of its LPG requirement.