Lok Sabha Question No. 783 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-24
Subject: Challenges in implementation of PMUY
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Shri K E Prakash

783. Shri K E Prakash:

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 783 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 th  July, 2025

## Challenges in implementation of PMUY

## पेĚोͧलयम एवं Ĥाक ृ Ǔतक गैस मंğी

Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  challenges  in  the  implementation  of  the  Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), including limited supply chain infrastructure in remote areas, affordability barriers to regular Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) refilling and gaps in monitoring or audit systems and if so, the details thereof; and

(b) the steps being taken by the Government to strengthen distribution networks, improve refill affordability, enhance digital monitoring and audit mechanisms to ensure sustained adoption of clean cooking fuel among poor households across the country?

## ANSWER

## पेĚोͧलयम एवं Ĥाक ृ Ǔतक गैस मंğालय मɅ राÏयमंğी ( Įी सुरेश गोपी )

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI SURESH GOPI)

- (a)  &  (b):  Pradhan  Mantri  Ujjwala  Yojana  (PMUY)  was  launched  in  May,  2016  with  an objective to provide deposit free LPG connection to adult women from poor households across the country. As on 01.07.2025, there are 10.33 crore PMUY connections across the country.

Implementation  of  PMUY  is  monitored  closely  in  terms  of  number  of  eligible  beneficiaries identified and the actual number of connections released vis-a-vis LPG  coverage in States/Districts. Despite the initial difficulties faced by OMCs which were mainly related to the identification  of  households,  difficult  terrain,  low  awareness  on  usefulness  of  LPG  etc.  ,  LPG coverage in the country has improved from 62% in April 2016 to near saturation now.

In order to create awareness about the scheme and also to address any issue pertaining to LPG usage, various steps have been taken inter alia, including organizing campaigns for improving awareness about PMUY, organizing melas/camps to enroll and distribute connections, promotion through Out of Home (OOH) hoardings, radio jingles, Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Vans etc., spreading awareness about advantages of using LPG over other conventional fuels and safe usage of LPG through LPG Panchayats, enrolment/awareness camps under  Viksit  Bharat  Sankalp  Yatra,  facilitation  of  consumers  and  their  families  for  Aadhar enrolment and opening of bank accounts for getting PMUY connections. Government has taken several  steps  to  encourage  consumption  of  LPG  by  PMUY  beneficiaries,  which  include deferment of loan recovery from subsidy amount, Swap option from 14.2 kg to 5 Kg to reduce upfront cash outgo, option of 5 Kg Double Bottle Connection, Conducting Pradhan Mantri LPG Panchayat to convince the beneficiaries to use LPG on sustained basis, mass awareness camps etc. As a result of these efforts, per capita consumption of PMUY beneficiaries (in terms of no. of 14.2 kg LPG cylinders taken per year) has increased from 3.68 (FY 2021-22) to 4.47 in FY 2024-25.

Further,  LPG  consumption  of  PMUY  beneficiaries  is  monitored  regularly  through  PPAC's Consumption  reports,  Common  LPG  Data  Platform  (CLDP)  and  meetings  with  OMCs. Consumption  of  domestic  LPG  by  households  depends  on  several  factors  like  food  habits, household size, cooking habits, tradition, flavor, taste, preferences, price, availability of alternate fuels etc.

To  make  LPG  more  affordable  to  PMUY  consumers  and  ensure  sustained  usage  of  LPG  by them, Government started a targeted subsidy of Rs.200/- per 14.2 kg cylinder for up to 12 refills per annum (and proportionately pro-rated for 5 Kg connections) to the PMUY consumers in May 2022.  In  October  2023,  Government  increased  the  targeted  subsidy  to  Rs.300  per  14.2  kg cylinder. After a targeted subsidy of Rs. 300/cylinder to PMUY consumers, Government of India is providing 14.2 Kg LPG cylinders at an effective price of Rs.553 per cylinder (in Delhi). This is available to more than 10.33 crore Ujjwala beneficiaries, across the country.

As of July 01, 2025, there are a total of 25,573 LPG distributorships across the country, out of which 17,646 are serving rural areas. These are served through 213 LPG bottling plant of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) located across the country. In order to improve access of LPG in rural and remote areas, OMCs have commissioned 7997 distributorships, during 01.04.2016 to 30.06.2025  across  the  country,  out  of  which  7403  (i.e.  93  %)  [Rurban-  1033,  Gramin-  4991, Durgam Kshetriya Vitraks and Rajiv Gandhi Gramin LPG Vitrak (DKV+RGGLV) - 1379] are catering to rural areas.

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