Ahead of state polls, government sanctions 25L Ujjwala connections

NEW DELHI: Centre Monday sanctioned 25 lakh additional 'Ujjwala' LPG connections for current financial year, having transferred Rs 58,000 crore in subsidies to over 10 crore beneficiary women since the scheme's launch in May 2016 to give poor households access to clean cooking fuel.

"On the auspicious occasion of Navratri, I extend my best wishes to all mothers and sisters joining the Ujjwala family. This step not only brings them joy during this sacred festival but also strengthens our resolve toward women's empowerment," PM Modi said on X.

The move comes ahead of assembly polls in politically key states such as Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu and will bolster BJP's outreach among the poor.

The expansion entails additional spending of Rs 676 crore: Rs 512.5 crore for deposit-free connections at Rs 2,050 per connection, Rs 160 crore to subsidise nine refills annually per household and Rs 3.5 crore for project management and administration.

The govt gives a subsidy of Rs 300 on each LPG refill to Ujjwala households, up to 12 cylinders a year, to keep them affordable. At the current Delhi price of a 14.2-kg domestic cylinder, a Ujjwala family pays Rs 553 against Rs 853 for a general consumer.

Under the scheme, an LPG connection is issued in the name of an adult woman of beneficiary household free of charge. Govt and state-run fuel retailers, IndianOil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum, bear the cost of installation, stove, hose, regulator and the first cylinder.

Launched with a target of 8 crore poor households, Ujjwala achieved it ahead of time in Sept 2019 and entered the Guinness record book as the world's largest direct benefit transfer scheme.

Ujjwala 2.0 began in Aug 2021 with a 1 crore target, which it achieved by Jan 2022.