Lok Sabha Question No. 694 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-04
Subject: Decline in Household LPG Usage
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Dr. T Sumathy Alias Thamizhachi Thangapandian

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 694 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04 th December, 2025

## Decline in Household LPG Usage

694. Dr. T Sumathy Alias Thamizhachi Thangapandian:

## पेůोिलयम एवं ÿाक ृ ितक गैस मंýी

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  reports  indicating  a  decline  in  household  LPG  usage after recent reductions in subsidy support and whether approximately three-quarters of households still rely on LPG as primary cooking fuel, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of the latest figures for national and Tamil Nadu household LPG penetration and trends during the last three years;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government under the Ujjwala/targeted subsidy mechanisms to ensure affordability of LPG cylinders for low income urban and rural households; and
- (d) the alternative measures proposed to prevent a shift back to polluting fuels, especially where firewood is costly or unavailable?

## 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) to (d): 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.  There  is  no  decline  in  household  LPG  usage.  Domestic  LPG  consumption  has  been steadily  rising  as  a  result  of  various  schemes  and  programmes by the Government.  Domestic LPG consumption has increased from 26207 MMT in FY2023-24 to 27654 MMT in FY2024-25 at aggregate level. At household level the per capita consumption of Domestic LPG (in terms of

14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinders taken per year) in India has increased from 5.78 in FY 2023-24 to 5.96 in FY 2024-25 and 6.05 during FY 2025-26.

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  Rs.200/-  per  14.2  kg  cylinder  (and proportionately  pro-rated  for  5  Kg  connections)  to  the  PMUY  consumers.  LPG  prices  were reduced  by  Rs.  200  in  August,  2023  and  Rs.  100  in  March,  2024  for  all  domestic  LPG consumers.  In October 2023, Government increased the targeted subsidy to Rs.300 per 14.2 kg cylinder (and proportionately pro-rated for 5 Kg connections). 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.

Further, to create awareness and enhance LPG usage, various steps have been taken inter alia, including  organizing  campaigns,  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  Aadhaar 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.  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.

As of 01.11.2025, there are a total of 25,587 LPG distributorships across the country, including 1653 in state of Tamil Nadu. These are served through 214 LPG bottling plant of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) located across the country including 19 in Tamil Nadu. In order to improve access  of  LPG  in  rural  and  remote  areas,  OMCs  have  commissioned  8017  distributorships, during 01.04.2016 to 31.10.2025 across the country, out of which 7420 (i.e. 93 %) are catering to rural areas. As a result of these efforts, LPG coverage in the country has improved from 62% in April 2016 to near saturation now. Similarily, LPG coverage in Tamil Naduhas also increased from 80.8% in April 2016 to near saturation now.

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