LPG Subsidy – Congress Questions Sharp Cut in Ujjwala Refill Support
LPG Subsidy – The Congress party on Tuesday intensified its criticism of the Union government over changes to the subsidy structure under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). The opposition alleged that the reduction in subsidized LPG cylinder refills would place an additional financial burden on economically weaker households, particularly women who rely on the scheme for clean cooking fuel.
Opposition Raises Concerns Over Welfare Commitments
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of gradually reducing social welfare benefits that were originally introduced to support vulnerable sections of society. According to him, several initiatives intended to assist low-income families have witnessed a decline in support over the years.
Kharge argued that welfare measures should be strengthened rather than scaled back at a time when many households continue to face financial pressures. He said the latest changes to the LPG subsidy framework contradict earlier assurances made to beneficiaries of the scheme.
Debate Over Ujjwala Scheme Benefits
Referring to the launch of the Ujjwala programme in 2016, Kharge recalled that the initiative was promoted as a major step toward improving the lives of women by reducing dependence on traditional cooking methods. He noted that beneficiaries were initially promised support for 12 subsidized LPG cylinder refills annually.
According to the Congress leader, the number of subsidized refills was reduced from 12 to nine in the previous revision and has now been brought down further to four subsidized refills per year. He claimed that the gradual reduction reflects a widening gap between the original commitments and current implementation.
Rising LPG Prices Add to Concerns
The opposition also pointed to increasing LPG prices as a significant challenge for beneficiaries. Congress leaders argued that higher refill costs have made it difficult for many families to continue using cooking gas regularly.
Kharge stated that a growing number of households may be forced to return to traditional fuel sources if LPG becomes unaffordable. He alleged that rising costs, combined with reduced subsidy support, could undermine the objectives of promoting cleaner cooking practices among rural and low-income families.
Recent Price Revision Explained
The criticism comes shortly after the price of a standard 14.2-kilogram domestic LPG cylinder in Delhi was raised from Rs 913 to Rs 942. Under the revised subsidy framework, PMUY beneficiaries will continue to receive a subsidy of Rs 300 per cylinder. However, this benefit will now apply only to the first four refills in a year, compared with nine subsidized refills available under the earlier arrangement.
The latest adjustment follows another increase announced in March, when LPG prices were raised by Rs 60 per cylinder. As a result, the cumulative increase over recent months has reached Rs 89 for a domestic cylinder.
Government Defends the Decision
The Centre has defended the pricing and subsidy revisions, maintaining that domestic LPG prices in India remain comparatively lower than those in many other countries. Officials have attributed the increase in supply costs to a significant rise in global LPG prices.
According to the government, disruptions linked to the conflict in West Asia have pushed international fuel prices higher, increasing the cost of supplying domestic LPG cylinders. It stated that the actual supply cost of a household cylinder has exceeded Rs 1,600, creating pressure on public sector oil marketing companies.
Government estimates further indicate that state-owned fuel retailers had been absorbing substantial losses on each cylinder before the latest price revision. Authorities maintain that the current measures are intended to balance consumer support with rising global energy costs.