Lok Sabha Question No. 4758 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-21
Subject: BPL/SCs/STs Families covered under PMUY
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Shri Janardan Singh Sigriwal

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4758 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 st  August, 2025

## BPL/SCs/STs Families covered under PMUY

4758. Shri Janardan Singh Sigriwal

## पेᮝोिलयम एवं ᮧाकृ ितक गैस मंᮢी

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

- (a)  the  number  of  Below  Poverty  Line/Scheduled  Castes/Scheduled  Tribes  families  covered under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) in the country, State/UT-wise including Bihar;
- (b) whether the Government has noticed that a number of beneficiaries of PMUY are not able to refill their gas cylinders due to LPG price hike/lack of funds;
- (c)  if  so,  the  details  thereof,  State/UT-wise  including  Bihar  along  with  the  response  of  the Government  thereto  including  the  steps  taken  for  reducing  the  price  of  LPG  cylinders  or providing subsidy to the said categories;
- (d) whether the Government has been able to achieve the objectives set under PMUY; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the corrective steps taken/proposed to be taken in this regard?

## ANSWER पेᮝोिलयम एवं ᮧाकृ ितक गैस मंᮢालय मᱶ रा᭔यमंᮢी ( ᮰ी सुरेश गोपी )

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

- (a)  to  (e):  PMUY  was  launched  in  May,  2016  with  an  objective  to  provide  deposit  free  LPG connection  to  adult  women  from  poor  households  across  the  country.  The  target  to  release  8 crore connections under PMUY was achieved in September 2019. To cover the remaining poor households, Ujjwala 2.0 was launched in August 2021 with a target to release 1 crore additional PMUY connections, which was achieved in January 2022. Subsequently, Government decided to release 60 lakh more LPG connections under Ujjwala 2.0 and the target of 1.60 crore Ujjwala 2.0 connections was also achieved during December 2022. Further, Government approved release of additional 75 lakh connections under PMUY scheme which was also achieved by July 2024. As

on 01.08.2025, Out of total 10.33 crore  LPG connections under PMUY, more than 3.13 crore connections have been given to SC/ST consumers.

State/UT-wise, details of LPG connections under PMUY including SC/ST category are given at Annexure - A .

The  primary  objective  of  the  PMUY  is  to  provide  access  to  clean  cooking  fuel  LPG  to  poor households thereby protecting their health by reducing the serious health hazards associated with use  of  conventional  cooking  fuel  such  as  firewood,  coal,  cow  dung  etc.  which  cause  severe indoor household air pollution. Use of LPG as cooking fuel frees women from the drudgery of collecting  firewood,  reduces  time  spent  on  cooking  and  prevents  deforestation.  PMUY  has majorly contributed to imporve LPG coverage in the country from 62% in April 2016 to near saturation now.

LPG  consumption  of  PMUY  beneficiaries  is  monitored  on  regular  basis.  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.

India imports about 60% of the domestic LPG consumed. Price of LPG in the country is linked to its price in the international market. While the average Saudi CP (international benchmark for LPG pricing) rose by 51% (from US$ 385/MT in July 2023 to US$ 582/MT in June 2025), the effective price for Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) consumers for domestic LPG was reduced by 38% (from Rs. 903 in August 2023 to Rs. 553 in July 2025).

Globally, PMUY is the biggest program of its kind that provides Domestic LPG to more than 10 crore poor households at an effective price of just about Rs. 39/Kg. The retail selling price of a 14.2 Kg domestic LPG cylinder is currently Rs. 853 in Delhi. 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  about  10.33  crore Ujjwala beneficiaries, across the country.

Since  the  launch  of  PMUY  till  financial  year  2022-23,  Government  has  been  bearing  an expenditure  of  up  to  Rs.1,600  per  PMUY  connection  for  Security  Deposit  (SD)  of  Cylinder, Pressure Regulator, Suraksha Hose, DGCC booklet and installation charges. From financial year 2023-24,  this  expenditure  has  been  increased  to  Rs.2,200  per  connection  for  14.2  Kg  Single Bottle Connection/ 5 Kg Double Bottle Connection & Rs.1,300 per connection for 5 Kg Single Bottle Connection.

Further, as a result of various steps taken by Government to improve access and affordability of domestic LPG for PMUY consumers, per capita consumption of PMUY beneficiaries (in terms of no. of 14.2 kg LPG cylinders taken per year) has increased from 3.01 (FY 2019-20) to 3.95 in FY 2023-24 and 4.47 in FY 2024-25.

Various independent studies and reports have shown that PMUY scheme has had a significant positive  impact  on  the  lives  of  rural  households,  especially  women  and  families  in  rural  and remote areas. Some key benefits are briefly explained below:

(i)  PMUY had resulted in a shift from  traditional cooking methods that involve burning solid fuels  like  wood,  dung  and  crop  residues.  The  use  of  cleaner  fuel  lowers  indoor  air  pollution, leading  to  improved  respiratory  health,  particularly  among  women  and  children  who  are traditionally more exposed to household smoke.

(ii)  Households  in  rural  areas,  especially  those  in  remote  locations,  often  spend  a  significant portion  of  their  time  and  energy  in  collecting  traditional  cooking  fuels.  LPG  has  reduced drudgery  and  the  time  spent  on  cooking  by  women  of  poor  households.  The  free  time,  thus, available with them can be utilized in multiple spheres for enhanced economic productivity.

(iii) Transition from biomass and traditional fuels to LPG reduces the dependency on wood and other  biomass  for  cooking  purposes,  leading  to  a  decrease  in  deforestation  and  environmental degradation. This benefits not only the households but also contributes to broader environmental conservation efforts.

(iv) With improved cooking facilities, there is a potential positive impact on nutrition. Families may find it easier to cook a variety of nutritious meals, contributing to better overall health.

*******

Annexure referred to in part (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4758 to be answered on 21.08.2025 regarding 'BPL/SCs/STs Families covered under PMUY'.

State/UT-wise number of PMUY Connections, connections under SC/ST category - As on 01.08.2025

| State/UT                              | Number ofPMUY Connections   | Connections under SC/ST category   |
|---------------------------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands           | 13,821                      | 738                                |
| Andhra Pradesh                        | 9,71,646                    | 1,73,830                           |
| Arunachal Pradesh                     | 53,693                      | 32,398                             |
| Assam                                 | 50,94,836                   | 8,79,820                           |
| Bihar                                 | 1,16,25,850                 | 21,78,529                          |
| Chandigarh                            | 2,025                       | 44                                 |
| Chhattisgarh                          | 38,00,896                   | 17,25,397                          |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman &Diu | 17,744                      | 13,626                             |
| Delhi                                 | 2,59,054                    | 57,812                             |
| Goa                                   | 1,949                       | 568                                |
| Gujarat                               | 43,06,668                   | 10,40,847                          |
| Haryana                               | 11,13,511                   | 4,09,671                           |
| Himachal Pradesh                      | 1,50,540                    | 46,860                             |
| UT of Jammu and Kashmir               | 12,69,306                   | 2,87,658                           |
| Jharkhand                             | 38,93,059                   | 12,35,042                          |
| Karnataka                             | 41,42,489                   | 12,59,828                          |
| Kerala                                | 3,87,490                    | 77,935                             |
| UT of Ladakh                          | 11,080                      | 8,990                              |
| Lakshadweep                           | 370                         | 276                                |
| Madhya Pradesh                        | 88,45,322                   | 34,71,797                          |
| Maharashtra                           | 52,13,333                   | 14,67,777                          |
| Manipur                               | 2,24,879                    | 70,110                             |
| Meghalaya                             | 3,16,947                    | 1,59,359                           |
| Mizoram                               | 35,986                      | 28,318                             |
| Nagaland                              | 1,22,052                    | 48,340                             |
| Odisha                                | 55,47,762                   | 20,40,026                          |
| Puducherry                            | 19,404                      | 7,296                              |
| Punjab                                | 13,57,874                   | 10,35,725                          |
| Rajasthan                             | 73,77,106                   | 29,73,818                          |
| Sikkim                                | 19,867                      | 3,039                              |
| Tamil Nadu                            | 40,97,131                   | 12,69,194                          |
| Telangana                             | 11,82,834                   | 5,06,275                           |
| Tripura                               | 3,16,366                    | 1,55,000                           |
| Uttar Pradesh                         | 1,85,84,927                 | 48,75,474                          |
| Uttarakhand                           | 5,29,539                    | 1,53,687                           |
| West Bengal                           | 1,23,72,495                 | 36,41,007                          |

Source: IOCL on behalf of OMCs PSU