Govt Approves Release of 25 Lakh Additional LPG Connections Under Ujjwala

New Delhi, Sep 23: The government has approved the release of 25 lakh additional free LPG connections to poor women under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) during the current financial year, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said on Monday.

With this expansion, the total number of PMUY connections will rise to 10.58 crore. The Centre has approved an expenditure of Rs 676 crore, including Rs 512.5 crore for providing the deposit-free connections at the rate of Rs 2,050 per connection, Rs 160 crore for targeted subsidy of Rs 300 per 14.2 kg LPG cylinder (up to nine refills per year), and Rs 3.5 crore for project management and other expenses.

Under PMUY, beneficiaries receive a deposit-free LPG connection covering the security deposit of the cylinder, pressure regulator, hose, consumer card, and installation charges. In addition, the first refill and stove are also provided free of cost, with no payment required from the beneficiary.

Applicants can choose between a 14.2 kg single bottle connection, a 5 kg single bottle connection, or a 5 kg double bottle connection. The process has been fully digitised to ensure transparency, with applications verified through system-driven checks and physical verification before installation.

Launched in May 2016, PMUY initially aimed to provide 8 crore connections, which was achieved in 2019. Since then, Ujjwala 2.0 and subsequent expansions have taken the total connections released to over 10.33 crore as of July 2025, making it one of the world’s largest clean energy initiatives.

Announcing the decision, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, “With the onset of Navratri, the decision to provide 25 lakh deposit-free LPG connections under Ujjwala is yet another testimony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to treat women with the same respect accorded to Goddess Durga. Ujjwala has emerged as one of the most impactful social welfare schemes in India — transforming kitchens, safeguarding health, and brightening the future of families across the country.”