Lok Sabha Question No. 215 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-01-29
Subject: LPG Connections under PMUY in Tamil Nadu
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Shri Malaiyarasan D

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 215 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29 th January, 2026

## LPG Connections under PMUY in Tamil Nadu

## 215. Shri Malaiyarasan D:

## पेůोिलयम एवं ÿाक ृ ितक गैस मंýी

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

- (a)  the  number  of  active  and  functional  LPG  connections  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) in Tamil Nadu, district-wise;
- (b)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government to  ensure timely and affordable refills especially in rural and remote areas;
- (c)  the  initiatives  undertaken  to  raise  awareness  about  safe  usage,  benefits  and  subsidy schemes among beneficiaries;
- (d) whether any mechanism exist to monitor usage and prevent misuse of PMUY connections and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)  the  measures  being  taken  to  integrate  PMUY  with  other  welfare  schemes  to  maximise benefits for women and marginalised communities?

## 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): 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  01.01.2026,  there  were  about  10.43  crore  PMUY  connections  across  the country including 41.5 lakh in the state of Tamil Nadu.

The  district-wise  details  of  number  of  PMUY  connections  in  state  of  Tamil  Naduare  at Annexure -A.

(b) & (c): To ensure the timely availability of LPG refills, LPG consumers including PMUY beneficiaries  can  book  a  refill  by  various  methods  including  Interactive  Voice  Response System(IVRS),  Short  Message  Service(SMS),  Whatsapp,  calling  directly  on  the  phone  of distributor, e-commerce platforms, OMC mobile applications, OMCs web-portals etc. These different options provide enhanced user accessibility for seamless and hassle-free booking of LPG refills.

As  on  01.01.2026,  there  are  a  total  of  25,596  LPG  distributorships  operating  across  the country,  out  of  which  17,668  distributorships  are  serving  rural  areas.  These  are  served through  214  LPG  bottling  plants  of  Oil  Marketing  Companies  (OMCs)  located  across  the country.  In  order  to  improve  access  of  LPG  in  rural  and  remote  areas,  OMCs  have commissioned 8027 distributorships, during 01.04.2016 to 31.12.2025 across the country, out of which 7434 (i.e. 93 %) are catering to rural areas.

In  order  to  create  awareness  about  the  scheme, encourage  sustained  usage  and  address  the issue  of  low refill consumption among PMUY beneficiaries, 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, 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.

To make LPG more affordable to PMUY consumers and ensure sustained usage of LPG by PMUY consumers, for FY 2025-26, Government is providing targeted subsidy of Rs.300/per 14.2 kg cylinder for upto 9 refills of 14.2 Kg cylinder (and proportionately pro-rated for 5 Kg connections) to the PMUY consumers.

As  a  result  of  various  steps  taken  by  Government  to  improve  access  and  affordability  of domestic LPG for PMUY consumers, Per ConnectionConsumption of PMUY beneficiaries (in terms of no. of 14.2 kg LPG cylinders taken per year) has increased from 3.68 (FY 202122) to 4.83 in FY 2025-26 (Prorated based on consumption during  Apr-Dec'25).

(d): Government continues to take measures on ongoing basis to monitor usage pattern and prevent misuse of PMUY connections ensuring that LPG distribution and subsidy transfers in respect of domestic LPG consumers are efficient, transparent, and inclusive. Implementation of  initiatives  like  the  PAHAL  (DBTL)  scheme,  Aadhaar-based  verification,  biometric authentication  and  weeding  out  of  ineligible  or  duplicate  connections  have  significantly strengthened the system of transfers of targeted subsidies.

PAHAL has played a crucial role in identification and blocking of 'ghost' accounts, multiple accounts,  and  inactive  LPG  connections,  thereby  helping  curb  the  diversion  of  subsidised LPG  for  commercial  use.  As  of  01.01.2026,  4.05  crore  duplicate,  fake/non-existent,  and inactive LPG connections are blocked/suspended/deactivated.

Government  has  taken  numerous  other  steps  to  remove  ineligible  consumers  and  improve subsidy transfer process, which include the following:

## De-duplication through CLDP-

Government  has  brought  a  Common  LPG  Database  Platform  (CLDP)  through  which duplicate  connections  are  identified  and  removed  from  the  LPG  database.  Deduplication amongst  LPG  consumer  database  is  done  using  Aadhaar  Number,  Bank  Account  Details, Abridged  Household  List  (AHL)  Temporary  Identification  Number  (TIN),  Ration  Card Details, Name and Address as the key parameters.

## Biometric Aadhaar Authentication Drive-

Aadhaar-based authentication for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes enables accurate, real-time, and cost-effective identification, authentication, and de-duplication of beneficiaries, ensuring targeted delivery of benefits to the intended recipients. To strengthen consumer  authentication,  the  Government  had  directed  the  public  sector  Oil  Marketing Companies (OMCs) to undertake and complete biometric Aadhaar authentication of Pradhan Mantri  Ujjwala  Yojana  (PMUY)  and  PAHAL  beneficiaries.  As  of  01.01.2026  Biometric Aadhaar  authentication  has  been  completed  for  73%  of  the  existing  PMUY  beneficiaries. Further,  all  new  PMUY  consumers  undergo  Biometric  Authentication  before  release  of connections.

## Weeding out of Ineligible/Inactive Consumers-

PAHAL has  enabled  the  disbursement  of  the  Targeted  subsidy  benefit  to  eligible  PMUY consumers. Multiple steps have been taken to ensure that these benefits reach the eligible and targeted  beneficiaries  in  an  efficient  and  timely  manner.  Since  its  inception,  as  a  result  of comprehensive deduplication exercises undertaken, a total of 8.67 lakh PMUY connections have been terminated.

In  January  2025,  a  Standard  Operating  Procedure  (SOP)  was  issued  for  the  removal  of PMUY  consumers  who  had  not  taken  any  further  refills  after  the  installation  of  their connection and till 31st Dec 2025, around 23,000 inactive PMUY connections have already been terminated following the SOP.

## Regulation and Oversight of LPG Supply and Distribution

In order to regulate distribution of LPG, the Government has notified 'Liquefied Petroleum Gas  (Regulation  of  Supply  and  Distribution)  Order,  2000.  Additionally,  OMCs  have formulated 'Marketing Discipline Guidelines' to be adhered to by LPG Distributors. These guidelines also provide for penal action against LPG  distributors indulging in any malpractice.  In  all  established  cases  of  irregularities  by  LPG  distributors  in  marketing  of LPG, action is taken as per provisions of Marketing Discipline Guidelines / Distributorship Agreement.

## Field Inspections and Checks-

To ensure compliance and curb malpractices, both regular and surprise Inspections of LPG distributors are done by Field Officers of the OMCs. Also, officers from Regional Offices/ Zonal  Offices/  Divisional  Offices/  Territory  Offices  and  officials  from  Anti  Adulteration Cell/ Quality Reassurance Cells and Vigilance Department conduct random checks at Distributors' Godown/ Showroom/delivery points, as well as en-route to ensure that no misuse of LPG takes place.

(e): Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) is a women-centric scheme aimed at providing LPG, a clean cooking fuel to poor households and safeguards the health of women and their families by reducing indoor air pollution caused by traditional fuels such as firewood, coal and  cow  dung  that  works  in  convergence  with  other  central  government  schemes  like Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and DhartiAabaJanjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJUGA).

******

Annexure referred to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 215 to be answered on 29.01.2026 regarding 'LPG connections under PMUY in Tamil Nadu'.

District-wise, number of PMUY connections in Tamil Nadu (As on 01.01.2026)

| District        | Number of PMUYconnections   |
|-----------------|-----------------------------|
| Ariyalur        | 73,533                      |
| Chengalpattu    | 1,23,400                    |
| Chennai         | 32,741                      |
| Coimbatore      | 46,753                      |
| Cuddalore       | 2,56,512                    |
| Dharmapuri      | 1,16,528                    |
| Dindigul        | 1,50,723                    |
| Erode           | 1,18,916                    |
| Kallakurichi    | 94,735                      |
| Kancheepuram    | 68,446                      |
| Kanniyakumari   | 90,584                      |
| Karur           | 54,982                      |
| Krishnagiri     | 1,22,844                    |
| Madurai         | 1,61,389                    |
| Mayiladuthurai  | 68,782                      |
| Nagapattinam    | 51,056                      |
| Namakkal        | 1,28,644                    |
| Perambalur      | 45,244                      |
| Pudukkottai     | 1,74,922                    |
| Ramanathapuram  | 1,51,628                    |
| Ranipet         | 1,01,119                    |
| Salem           | 2,07,677                    |
| Sivaganga       | 90,469                      |
| Tenkasi         | 87,671                      |
| Thanjavur       | 1,39,722                    |
| The Nilgiris    | 18,532                      |
| Theni           | 67,813                      |
| Thiruvallur     | 1,20,956                    |
| Thiruvarur      | 1,16,330                    |
| Thoothukkudi    | 1,03,356                    |
| Tiruchirappalli | 1,54,083                    |
| Tirunelveli     | 72,859                      |
| Tirupathur      | 75,816                      |
| Tiruppur        | 55,617                      |
| Tiruvannamalai  | 2,17,861                    |
| Vellore         | 1,23,768                    |
| Viluppuram      | 1,43,334                    |
| Virudhunagar    | 1,20,765                    |

Source: IOCL on behalf of PSU OMCs