Lok Sabha Question No. 738 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-04
Subject: LPG Connections under PMUY
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Shri V K Sreekandan

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 738 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04 th  December, 2025

## LPG Connections under PMUY

738. Shri V K Sreekandan:

## पेĚोͧलयम एवं Ĥाक ृ Ǔतक गैस मंğी

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

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  decided  to  provide  twenty-five  lakh  more  LPG  connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana(PMUY) during the current financial  year, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government is aware that the majority of the beneficiaries under the said scheme were not able to refill the cylinder due to the high cost of the LPG cylinder and other factors, if so, the details thereof; and

(c) whether the Government has asked the State-owned Oil Marketing Companies to come out with an analysis on the performance of the said scheme with regard to its utilization, if so, the detail thereof?

## 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)  and  (b):  Pradhan  Mantri  UjjwalaYojana  (PMUY)  was  launched  in  May,  2016  to  provide deposit free  LPG connection to adult women from poor households across the country. As on 01.11.2025, there were about 10.33 crore PMUY connections across the country.

Government  has  recently  approved  the  release  of  25  lakh  additional  LPG  connections  under PMUY during Financial Year 2025-26 to clear pending applications and achieve saturation of LPG access in the country. To further improve access, the eligibility criteria have been simplified to 'Adult women from poor households based on submission of a Deprivation Declaration'.

To  make  LPG  more  affordable  to  PMUY  consumers  and  ensure  sustained  usage  of  LPG  by them, in May 2022 Government started a targeted subsidy of ₹ 200/- per 14.2 kg cylinder (and proportionately pro-rated for 5 Kg  connections) to the  PMUY  consumers  which  was subsequently increased to ₹ 300/- per 14.2 kg cylinder (and proportionately pro-rated for 5 Kg connections).

For FY 2025-26, the Government is providing a targeted subsidy of ₹ 300/- per cylinder for upto 9 refills of 14.2 Kg cylinders per annum (proportionately pro-rated for 5 Kg connections).

During 2024-25, around 86% of PMUY beneficiaries took at least one refill. Further, to address the  issue  of  inactive/dormant  PMUY  connections,  Ministry  issued  a  Standard  Operating Procedure (SOP) in January 2025. Under this SOP, Oil Marketing Companies identified a total 11.7  lakh  connections  that  had  not  taken  any  refill  beyond  the  installation.  As  of  November 2025,  out  of  the  11.7  lakh  connections  identified  by  OMCs,  8.35 lakh  beneficiaries  have completed  e-KYC/Aadhaar  authentication  including  5.52 lakh  beneficiaries  who  have  taken refills  as  well.  Further,  following  the  due  process,  0.21 lakh  connections  have  also  been terminated .

(c):  Government monitors LPG consumption through reports/MIS/consumption profile through PPAC/OMCs.  Additionally,  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.

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