Govt to give 2.5 million new LPG connections under PM Ujjwala Yojana in FY26

New Delhi: The Union ministry of petroleum and natural gas has announced to provided 2.5 million additional cooking gas connections to poor households in FY26 under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) with an outlay of ₹676 crore.

With this expansion, the total number of free LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) connections under the scheme will reach 105.8 million. The Centre has approved an expenditure of ₹676 crore for the release of these connections, including ₹512.5 crore for providing 25 lakh deposit-free connections at the rate of ₹2,050 per connection. It will provide ₹160 crore for targeted subsidy of ₹300 per 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder, for up to nine refills per year, and ₹3.5 crore towards project management expenses, transaction and administrative expenditure, among other expenses.

The announcement coincides with 'Navratri', and the government has showcased the move as a gift to the women during this auspicious period. Taking to social media platform X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “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 towards women empowerment.”

Union minister of petroleum and natural gas Hardeep Singh Puri said: “This strengthens our resolve for the dignity and empowerment of mothers and sisters. 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.”

Under PMUY, beneficiaries receive a deposit-free LPG connection that covers the security deposit of cylinder, pressure regulator, suraksha hose, Domestic Gas Consumer Card (DGCC) booklet and installation charges. In addition, the first refill and stove are also provided free of cost.

The beneficiaries are not required to make any payment for the LPG connection, the first refill, or the stove, as these costs are borne by the government of India and the oil marketing companies (OMCs). Beneficiaries have the flexibility to choose from a 14.2 kg single bottle connection, a 5 kg single bottle connection, or a 5 kg double bottle connection.

Eligible adult women from poor households who do not have an existing LPG connection in their family can apply by submitting a KYC (know your customer) application form and deprivation declaration, either online or at any LPG distributor of the public sector OMCs.

Launched in May 2016 to provide clean cooking fuel to poor households, PMUY initially targeted 80 million deposit-free LPG connections, which was achieved in September 2019. To cover the remaining poor households, Ujjwala 2.0 was launched in August 2021 with a target of 100 million additional connections, achieved by January 2022. Subsequently, the Centre approved 6 million additional connections under Ujjwala 2.0, which was achieved in December 2022, and another 7.5 million connections, was achieved by July 2024. As of July 2025, over 103.3 million PMUY connections have been released across the country.