Govt to give 75 lakh new Ujjwala LPG connections, PMUY cylinder subsidy now ₹400
Government to provide 75 lakh Ujjwala connections, cut domestic cooking gas prices by ₹200 per cylinder.
The Centre has decided to provide an additional 75 lakh Ujjwala connections, raising the total Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries to 10.35 crores, announced Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday after the Union cabinet meeting.
Offering substantial relief to consumers, Thakur declared a price reduction of ₹200 per cylinder for domestic cooking gas. Currently priced at ₹1,103 for a 14.2-kg LPG cylinder in New Delhi, it will now cost ₹903 starting from Wednesday.
"For Ujjwala beneficiaries, the price will be ₹703 after considering the ongoing ₹200 per cylinder subsidy. Under Ujjwala connections, beneficiaries will receive free connections along with the first cylinder without any charge. PM Narendra Modi's significant offering to the women of the country on Onam and Raksha Bandhan. A ₹200 decrease in the cost of domestic LPG cylinders for all consumers. In 2014, only 14.5 crore citizens possessed domestic LPG connections. Today, that number has risen to 33 crore," noted Union Minister Anurag Thakur.
Thakur also disclosed that due to this supplementary subsidy, there could be an additional financial implication of 7,680 crore for the financial year 2023-24.
The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), initiated on May 1, 2016, by PM Modi in UP's Ballia, aims to provide cooking fuel such as LPG to rural households. The scheme's focus is on offering LPG connections to women from below the poverty line (BPL) households, SC/ST communities, beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Antyoday Anna Yojana (AAY), forest dwellers, and other disadvantaged groups.
This will increase the total number of beneficiaries under PMUY from 9.6 crore to 10.35 crore, the government said in a statement.
"These decisions come as part of the government's ongoing efforts to ease the financial burden on citizens and promote the welfare of households. The reduction in cooking gas prices reflects the government's commitment to prioritise the well-being of its citizens and ensure access to essential commodities at reasonable rates," it said.
