Congress on reduction in number of subsidised Ujjwala refills

The Congress on Tuesday (June 9, 2026) lashed out at the government for reducing the number of refills of subsidized LPG gas cylinders under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, claiming that the government is merely shedding “crocodile tears” on the plight of women who are “intoxicated with power”.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the reality of the Modi government’s poverty alleviation campaign is that first the right to work was taken away from the poor under MGNREGA and now even a morsel of food is being taken away from them.

“2016: Modi-ji claimed that Ujjwala Yojana will save women from wood stove smoke. There was a promise of 12 subsidized cylinders a year. But last year, the number was reduced from 12 to 9. 2026: Now the number of subsidized cylinders has been reduced from 9 to just 4. In short, the promise of 12 but only the intention to give 4,” Mr. Kharge said in his Hindi post.

The Congress leader said LPG prices have been increased many times and 5.56 crore beneficiaries cannot afford to refuel.

“Mothers and sisters forced to abandon the cylinders are forced to return to traditional stoves…. meanwhile, the Modi government is also drunk with power, shedding crocodile tears over their plight!” Mr. Kharge said.

His remarks came a few days after the price of a 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder was increased from ₹913 to ₹942 in Delhi; Beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) will continue to pay an effective ₹642 per cylinder after receiving a subsidy of ₹300 per annual refill, instead of the 9 refills announced last. year.

The increase follows an increase of ₹60 per cylinder on March 7, taking the cumulative increase to ₹89 per cylinder of 14.2 kg. State-run oil marketing companies were estimated to lose around ₹703 on every LPG cylinder sold before the latest revision.

Despite a sharp rise in international PG prices triggered by disruptions in West Asia, Indian households continue to pay among the lowest prices for cooking gas globally, the government said.

The government said in a statement that the domestic cost of supplying LPG cylinders had risen to over ₹1,600 following a rise in international prices following the outbreak of war in West Asia at the end of February.