Under the Ujjwala scheme, approximately 1.86 crore women in Uttar Pradesh will receive two free cooking gas cylinders this Diwali. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will distribute cylinders to beneficiaries in Lucknow, and the subsidy will be transferred to their bank accounts.
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has made a significant announcement to provide free cooking gas cylinders to nearly 2 crore women under the Ujjwala scheme on the occasion of Diwali. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will distribute free cylinders to beneficiaries at Lok Bhawan in Lucknow on Wednesday.
Under this scheme, women will receive two free LPG refill cylinders. The first cylinder will be distributed on Diwali and the second on the occasion of Holi. This scheme has been specifically designed keeping in mind rural and economically weaker women.
Free LPG Cylinders for Women Under the Scheme
According to government information, the scheme will be implemented in two phases. The first phase will run from October 2025 to December 2025, and the second phase from January 2026 to March 2026.
In the first phase, on Diwali, 1.23 crore Aadhaar-verified beneficiaries will receive the benefit of free cylinders. The subsidy for the cylinder will be directly transferred to the beneficiaries' bank accounts. This means that if women purchase cooking gas cylinders, the cost will be reimbursed by the government.
Subsidy Directly Transferred to Women's Bank Accounts
Under the scheme, beneficiaries have been selected through an Aadhaar-verified list. In the first phase, subsidies will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of 1.23 crore women. This means that when women purchase cylinders during Diwali, they will receive the government subsidy in their accounts.
Furthermore, a district-level monitoring and grievance redressal mechanism has also been implemented in the scheme. This will ensure that all eligible women can receive benefits without any obstruction and prevent any irregularities.
Budget of Rs 1500 Crore for the Scheme
The state government has allocated a budget of Rs 1500 crore for this scheme for the year 2025-26. In the first phase, an amount exceeding Rs 346 crore has been released. This fund will ensure the smooth distribution of LPG cylinders and extend the benefits of the scheme to rural and impoverished women.
The Ujjwala scheme will not only provide safe fuel to women but also reduce reliance on traditional fuels in homes. This will increase the potential for improving health and living standards in rural areas.
