The government on Monday approved the release of 2.5 million additional LPG connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) during the financial year 2025-26.
With this expansion, the total number of PMUY connections will rise to 105.8 million. The government has approved an expenditure of ₹676 crore for the release of these connections. This includes ₹512.5 crore for providing 25 lakh deposit-free connections at the rate of ₹2,050 per connection, ₹160 crore for targeted subsidy of ₹300 per 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder (for up to nine refills per year, proportionately pro-rated for 5 kg cylinders), and ₹3.5 crore towards project management expenses, transaction and SMS charges, Information, Education & Communication (IEC) activities, and administrative expenditure.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said in a post on X, “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.”
Deposit-free LPG connections for women
Under the scheme, 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.
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 state-run 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.
Ujjwala’s growth journey since 2016
To further enhance transparency and ease of access, the process for obtaining an LPG connection under PMUY has been made fully streamlined and technology-enabled.
Launched in May 2016, PMUY initially targeted 8 crore 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 1 crore additional connections, achieved by January 2022.
Subsequently, the Government approved 60 lakh additional connections under Ujjwala 2.0, achieved in December 2022, and another 75 lakh connections, achieved by July 2024.
As of July 2025, over 10.33 crore PMUY connections have been released across the country.