The Indian government is giving free cooking gas cylinders this festive season. 25 lakh families will get free LPG under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) in 2025-26. Here is how to get it.
This scheme gives clean fuel to poor and village families. It stops smoke from wood, coal, or kerosene. It also helps reduce pollution. This will make life better for many people.
Impact of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana started in 2016 from Ballia, Uttar Pradesh. More than 10 crore families have already got LPG connections through this scheme. With the addition of 25 lakh new connections, the total will reach 10.58 crore families.
This scheme helps protect women’s health and reduce pollution. Rural families now get modern cooking facilities, which improves their life. This scheme is also a big step in women empowerment.
Benefits and Details of Free LPG Connection
New LPG connections are completely free. Women applying do not pay anything; the government bears the cost. Along with LPG, the pressure regulator, safety hose, and gas card are also free. The first cylinder and stove are free too. This setup saves cooking time and reduces health risks for rural women.
Applicants can choose a cylinder based on family size: 14.2 kg or 5 kg, single or double. A maximum of 9 free cylinders is available in a year. The government gives a subsidy of ₹300 for each 14.2 kg cylinder. Larger cylinders are more profitable for families.
The total cost for the new 25 lakh connections will be about ₹676 crore. ₹512.5 crore will be spent on free connections and ₹160 crore on cylinder subsidy. Each connection costs about ₹2,050. This project reduces pollution, protects the environment, and improves public health.