Ahead of the general elections, the Modi government on Thursday announced an increase of Rs 300 per LPG cylinder subsidy to poor women under the Ujjwala scheme for the next financial year starting April 1.
LPG subsidy: Before the general elections, Modi government has given a big gift to more than 9 crore women. The Cabinet of Modi government has approved to extend the subsidy relief per LPG cylinder under the Ujjwala scheme for one year. This relief is available at Rs 300 per cylinder. Let us tell you that in October last year, the government had increased the subsidy on 14.2 kg cylinder from Rs 200 to Rs 300. This subsidy was for the current financial year, which ends on March 31. Now under the new decision, this subsidy has been extended till March 2025.
What did the government say?
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters in Delhi that the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has now decided to extend this subsidy till 2024-25. This move is expected to benefit about 10 crore families. This will cost Rs 12,000 crore.
Earlier subsidy was Rs 200
Till last year, beneficiaries under the scheme used to get a subsidy of Rs 200. However, in October 2023, the subsidy amount was increased by Rs 100 to Rs 300. The Government of India currently gives this subsidy to beneficiaries on 12 refills in a year.
The scheme was started in 2016
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana was launched in May, 2016. Under this scheme, deposit free LPG connections are provided to adult women from poor families. Till October 31, 2023, 9.67 crore LPG connections have been provided under the scheme. Last year, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Modi has approved the extension of the scheme to release 75 lakh LPG connections in three years from the financial year 2023-24 to 2025-26. With the provision of 75 lakh additional Ujjwala connections, the total number of PMUY beneficiaries will increase to 10.35 crore.
Due to this subsidy, the price of LPG cylinder for Ujjwala beneficiaries in the country’s capital Delhi is Rs 603. At the same time, the price of cylinder for general customers in Delhi is Rs 903.
