Very good news is waiting for LPG gas holders. Consumers are beginning to notice the benefits of the subsidy on gas cylinders provided under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. There has been a rise in LPG consumption among the beneficiaries of this initiative, although it remains nearly half of what regular consumers use.
Data from the Petroleum and Gas Ministry indicates that after a subsidy of Rs 300 per cylinder was introduced for Ujjwala beneficiaries, their LPG consumption increased from 3.01 cylinders per year in 2019-20 to 3.95 cylinders per year in 2023-24. By October 2024, this figure had further risen to 4.34 cylinders. In contrast, the average LPG consumer typically uses between seven and eight cylinders annually.
New connections may be announced in the upcoming budget
A senior official has stated that the central government plans to maintain the subsidy for Ujjwala beneficiaries for now, ensuring that their expenses for refilling cylinders remain manageable. There is also a possibility that the government will announce additional connections under the scheme in the Union Budget. The initiative has proven to be quite successful, providing political advantages for the BJP, especially with several states, including Bihar, facing assembly elections this year.
Eligibility criteria for Ujjwala 2.0 connections include:
1. The applicant must be a female aged 18 years or older.
2. No other LPG connection should exist in the same household from any Oil Marketing Company (OMC).
3. Eligible adult women must belong to one of the following categories: Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural), Most Backward Classes (MBC), Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), Tea and Ex-Tea Garden Tribes, Forest Dwellers, residents of Islands and River Islands, SECC Families (AHL Tin), or any family classified as poor according to the 14-point announcement.
