Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has defended the government’s decision to reduce subsidised LPG cylinder refills under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana from nine to four annually. He said the move was based on evidence that some beneficiaries were misusing subsidised cylinders by diverting them for commercial purposes or reselling them.
✅ Government reduced PM Ujjwala Yojana subsidised cylinder refills from 9 to 4 annually.
✅ Hardeep Singh Puri says the decision was taken to prevent misuse.
✅ Some beneficiaries allegedly diverted subsidised LPG cylinders for commercial use.
✅ Government reviewed utilisation patterns before making the change.
✅ PMUY continues to provide clean cooking fuel access to poor households.
✅ Minister says welfare schemes must reach genuine beneficiaries.
New Delhi, June 11: Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday defended the government’s decision to reduce the number of subsidised LPG cylinder refills available under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) from nine to four annually, citing misuse of the scheme by some beneficiaries.
Speaking to IANS, the minister said the decision was based on an assessment of cylinder consumption patterns and reports indicating that a section of beneficiaries did not require the full quota of subsidised refills.
According to Puri, the government found instances where subsidised LPG cylinders were allegedly being diverted for commercial purposes or resold instead of being used for household cooking needs.
“Since this morning, there has been a lot of discussion that we have reduced the number of Ujjwala cylinders from nine to four. But if you do not need more than four cylinders, why would you need more?” the minister said.
He explained that authorities received credible information suggesting that many beneficiaries were not utilizing all the cylinders for domestic consumption and were instead transferring them to others.
“Many of our Ujjwala beneficiaries did not actually need the cylinders. They were taking the Rs 300 cylinder and either selling it for commercial use, diverting it, or giving it to someone else for Rs 300 more,” Puri stated.
The minister said the government took the decision after carefully reviewing the utilisation pattern of the scheme and identifying cases where subsidised LPG benefits were not reaching their intended purpose.
Launched by the Central government, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana aims to provide clean cooking fuel to economically weaker households by offering LPG connections and subsidised refills, thereby reducing dependence on traditional cooking fuels.
Puri emphasized that welfare schemes must remain targeted toward genuine beneficiaries and that preventing leakages is necessary to ensure effective utilisation of public resources.
During the interaction, the minister also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s governance model and said that voters have consistently supported the BJP because they associate the government with development, delivery and welfare-oriented policies.
He added that the government’s focus remains on improving the lives of citizens through targeted welfare programmes while maintaining transparency and accountability in scheme implementation.
The government maintains that the reduction in subsidised LPG cylinder refills under the Ujjwala Yojana is aimed at preventing misuse and ensuring benefits reach genuine households. While the move has sparked debate, officials argue that better targeting of subsidies will improve efficiency and strengthen the delivery of welfare schemes for economically weaker families.
FAQ Section
Q1. What change has been made to the Ujjwala Yojana subsidy?
The government has reduced the number of subsidised LPG cylinder refills under PMUY from nine to four annually.
Q2. Why did the government reduce the number of subsidised cylinders?
According to Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, the decision was taken after reports of misuse, diversion and resale of subsidised LPG cylinders.
Q3. What is the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana?
PMUY is a government welfare scheme that provides LPG connections and subsidised cooking gas to economically weaker households.
Q4. How were some subsidised cylinders allegedly misused?
The minister stated that some beneficiaries allegedly diverted cylinders for commercial use or sold them to others.
Q5. What is the government’s objective behind the decision?
The government says the aim is to improve subsidy targeting, reduce leakages and ensure benefits reach genuine beneficiaries.
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