The Indian government has reduced the subsidized liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) quota for beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana from 12 cylinders to 4 cylinders per year. The decision was announced on Monday by Praveen Mal Khanooja, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
This move is aimed at rationalizing subsidies and targeting support to the most needy households. Under the revised policy, each eligible household will receive a subsidy on only four 14.2-kg cylinders annually, down from the previous entitlement of 12 cylinders. The change takes effect immediately.
The Ujjwala scheme, launched in 2016, provides free LPG connections to women from below-poverty-line households. Initially, beneficiaries received a subsidy for up to 12 refills per year. However, the government has gradually reduced this number in recent years to manage fiscal costs and curb diversion of subsidized fuel.
Officials said the decision was based on consumption patterns indicating that many households do not use the full quota. The government will continue to provide free connections and the first refill, but subsequent refills will be subsidized only up to the new limit.
Consumer rights groups have criticized the move, arguing it could burden low-income families who rely heavily on LPG for cooking. However, the ministry stated that the measure ensures subsidies reach the intended beneficiaries while promoting fiscal discipline.
The reduction is part of broader reforms in the petroleum sector, including direct benefit transfer of subsidies to bank accounts. Beneficiaries are urged to use the subsidy efficiently and explore alternative cooking fuels where feasible.
