The Union Cabinet granted approval for an augmented subsidy for Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries, aiming to offer assistance to low-income households facing the challenge of escalating gas prices, on Wednesday, ahead of Cabinet elections.
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As part of the Ujjwala Yojana, beneficiaries will now enjoy a subsidy of Rs 300 on gas cylinders, reflecting a Rs 100 increment compared to the previous subsidy of Rs 200.
The government has raised subsidy amount for Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries from Rs 200 to Rs 300 per LPG cylinder: Union minister Anurag Thakur during a briefing on Cabinet decisions pic.twitter.com/Dvf7wXtXQT
— ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2023
Consequently, Ujjwala beneficiaries will now receive a gas cylinder valued at Rs 600, a decision aimed at offering respite to numerous underprivileged households grappling with the challenges of escalating inflation and increasing gas prices.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Cabinet Committee for Economic Affairs increased the existing subsidy for Ujjwala scheme beneficiaries by Rs 200, resulting in a total subsidy per cylinder of Rs 400. Nevertheless, following the recent reduction, it currently stands at Rs 500.
According to the current guidelines of Ujjawala 2.0, beneficiaries will receive the first refill and stove without any charges.
A month ago, the Union Cabinet took a step to alleviate the burden on citizens by reducing the cost of LPG cylinders by Rs 200.
In Delhi, for example, this decision has resulted in a reduction in the cost of a 14.2 kg cylinder from the previous Rs 1,103 per cylinder to Rs 903.
Furthermore, this across-the-board reduction is supplementary to the existing targeted subsidy of Rs 200 per cylinder provided to Ujjwala households, which will remain unchanged. Consequently, the effective price in Delhi for Ujjwala beneficiaries following this reduction will be Rs 703 per cylinder.
It's important to note that there are more than 31 crore domestic LPG consumers, which includes 9.6 crore Ujjwala beneficiaries.