A fresh political row has erupted after the Centre reduced the number of subsidised LPG cylinder refills available under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). The Congress on Tuesday accused the Narendra Modi government of being “intoxicated on power” and ignoring the hardships faced by poor households, especially women, who depend on the scheme for cooking fuel.
The controversy follows the government's decision to lower the annual quota of subsidised LPG refills for Ujjwala beneficiaries from nine cylinders to four. Officials said the move was intended to align subsidies with the average consumption pattern of beneficiary households. Under the revised policy, eligible families will continue to receive a subsidy of ₹300 per 14.2-kg cylinder, but only on the first four refills each year.
Launching a sharp attack on the government, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the Centre had steadily diluted the promises made when the Ujjwala scheme was launched in 2016. He noted that beneficiaries were originally promised support for 12 subsidised cylinders annually, which was later reduced to nine and has now been brought down to four. According to Kharge, the reduction reflects a widening gap between the government's promises and its policies.
The Congress leader also linked the decision to rising LPG prices, arguing that millions of poor households are already struggling to afford refills. He claimed that many women who had switched to cleaner cooking fuel under the scheme are now being forced to return to traditional wood-burning stoves because of affordability concerns. The party alleged that the government talks about women's welfare while simultaneously reducing support that directly benefits them.
The Centre, however, has defended the move. Government officials say the revision is based on actual consumption trends among Ujjwala beneficiaries and comes at a time when international LPG prices have surged due to geopolitical tensions and supply disruptions. According to the government, the cost of supplying a domestic LPG cylinder has risen sharply, while Indian households continue to pay among the lowest cooking gas prices globally due to continued subsidy support.
Launched in 2016, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana was designed to provide clean cooking fuel to economically weaker households and has expanded to cover more than 10.5 crore beneficiaries across the country.
The latest decision has added another contentious issue to the ongoing political debate between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress, with both sides presenting contrasting views on welfare delivery and support for low-income families.
