**Executive Summary**
This document responds to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 738 concerning LPG connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). It details the government's actions to expand LPG access, address affordability, and monitor usage under the scheme. The document references data as of November 1, 2025, and actions planned for the financial year 2025-26.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **PMUY Overview:**
* Launched in May 2016 to provide deposit-free LPG connections to adult women from poor households.
* Approximately 10.33 crore PMUY connections existed as of November 1, 2025.
* **Expansion of LPG Connections:**
* The government has approved the release of an additional 25 lakh LPG connections under PMUY for the financial year 2025-26.
* Aim is to clear pending applications and achieve saturation of LPG access across the country.
* Eligibility criteria have been simplified to include "Adult women from poor households based on submission of a Deprivation Declaration".
* **Affordability and Subsidy:**
* In May 2022, the government started a targeted subsidy for PMUY consumers.
* Subsidy started at ₹ 200/- per 14.2 kg cylinder (proportionately pro-rated for 5 kg connections) and increased to ₹ 300/-.
* For FY 2025-26, the targeted subsidy is ₹ 300/- per cylinder for up to 9 refills of 14.2 kg cylinders per annum (proportionately pro-rated for 5 kg connections).
* **Addressing Inactive Connections:**
* In January 2025, a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was issued to address inactive/dormant PMUY connections.
* Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) identified 11.7 lakh connections without refills.
* As of November 2025, 8.35 lakh beneficiaries have completed e-KYC/Aadhaar authentication including 5.52 lakh beneficiaries who have taken refills.
* 0.21 lakh connections have been terminated.
* **Monitoring and Impact:**
* The government monitors LPG consumption through reports/MIS/consumption profiles through PPAC/OMCs.
* Independent studies show PMUY has a positive impact on rural households, especially women and families in rural and remote areas.
* Shift from traditional cooking methods to cleaner fuels, reducing indoor air pollution.
* Reduced drudgery and time spent collecting cooking fuels, improving economic productivity.
* Decreased dependency on wood and biomass, leading to environmental conservation.
* Improved cooking facilities, potentially leading to better nutrition and overall health.
**Impact Analysis**
**PMUY Beneficiaries (Adult women from poor households)**
* **Impact:**
* Improved access to LPG connections.
* Reduced financial burden due to subsidies on LPG cylinders.
* Healthier cooking environment due to reduced indoor air pollution.
* Time savings due to reduced effort in collecting traditional cooking fuels, enabling enhanced economic productivity.
* Improved nutrition.
* **Action Required:**
* Comply with e-KYC/Aadhaar authentication requirements.
* Take refills regularly to keep connection active.
**Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs)**
* **Impact:**
* Required to implement the SOP to identify and address inactive PMUY connections.
* Need to facilitate e-KYC/Aadhaar authentication process for beneficiaries.
* **Action Required:**
* Identify inactive connections, support KYC and Aadhaar authentication, facilitate subsidy disbursements, monitor consumption and report data to the government.
Key Entities Referenced
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY): A scheme to provide deposit-free LPG connections to adult women from poor households.
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas: The ministry responsible for administering the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 738
TO BE ANSWERED ON 04th December, 2025
LPG Connections under PMUY
738. Shri V K Sreekandan:
पे(cid:282)ो(cid:871)लयम एवं (cid:292)ाकृ(cid:467)तक गैस मं(cid:287)ी
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
पे(cid:282)ो(cid:871)लयम एवं (cid:292)ाकृ(cid:467)तक गैस मं(cid:287)ालय म(cid:581) रा(cid:207)यमं(cid:287)ी
((cid:302)ी 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 (andproportionately 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.
******