LPG Cylinder: The government has reduced the number of subsidised cylinders to be issued every year, and as a consequence, millions of households covered under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) will get less LPG support. The decision comes soon after the hike in domestic LPG prices, which has added to the financial burden of low-income families.
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Under the revised policy, beneficiaries of PMUY will now be entitled to subsidy benefits on only four LPG cylinders per year, down from the earlier limit of nine cylinders. With the subsidy of ₹300 per cylinder continuing, the maximum annual benefit a household can get will come down from ₹2,700 to ₹1,200.
Low-income households face a double whammy
The move will be a huge cut in the support for families dependent on LPG for their everyday cooking requirements. The Ujjwala scheme has played a significant role in encouraging the use of cleaner cooking fuel and decreasing reliance on conventional biomass sources like firewood and coal for many rural and economically disadvantaged households.
This cut in subsidy follows the government’s recent decision to raise the retail price of LPG cylinders for domestic use. Officials said support for vulnerable consumers would continue, but the lower quota means beneficiaries will have to pay the full market cost for a larger share of their annual LPG consumption.
Cost & Usage Concerns
LPG Cylinder: The policy experts say the move could impact household budgets, especially for bigger families that use more than four cylinders a year. Consumer groups have also feared that lower financial assistance may discourage some users from refilling LPG cylinders regularly, which may affect the adoption of clean cooking fuel.
