LUCKNOW — In a major welfare rollout aimed at providing economic relief during key festive periods, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that eligible households under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana will receive fully subsidized domestic cooking gas refills during Diwali and Holi.
The state government has allocated a outlay of ₹1,500 crore to fund the direct refill subsidies, benefiting more than 1.89 crore families across the state.
Scheme Breakdown and Financial Outlay
Addressing a public gathering organized to disburse refill subsidies directly to beneficiaries, the Chief Minister outlined the exact pricing structure and the scale of government support:
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Price Structure and Central Subsidies: A standard domestic LPG cylinder currently costs ₹983.45, with the Central Government providing a direct subsidy of ₹335, leaving a net out-of-pocket expenditure of ₹648.55 per family.
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State-Funded Refill Coverage: The supplementary state grant fully covers this remaining out-of-pocket expense for two annual refills, ensuring free cylinders for beneficiary households during Diwali and Holi.
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Focus on Energy Access: Highlighting improvements in clean fuel delivery, Adityanath contrasted current universal distribution channels with past administrative hurdles that complicated access to domestic gas connections.
Cultural Heritage and Social Integration in Ayodhya
Alongside the economic measures, the Chief Minister addressed public preparations for the upcoming Deepotsav celebrations in Ayodhya, framing state-supported cultural events as vehicles for social harmony:
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Unifying Public Heritage: Adityanath emphasized that the annual festival of lights brings together diverse communities through shared traditions, moving past historical political strategies focused on social divisions.
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State-Led Cultural Traditions: First initiated by the state administration in 2017, the Deepotsav celebrations are designed to promote inclusive participation across all sections of society, transforming regional cultural landmarks into unified public celebrations.
