Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday announced that eligible families under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana will receive one free Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinder each on the occasions of Diwali and Holi.
The announcement was made during a programme organized for the distribution of refill subsidies to more than 1.89 crore beneficiaries across Uttar Pradesh, reports NDTV.
An allocation of Rs 1,500 crore has been made by the state government for the distribution of subsidies for LPG cylinder refills under the scheme.
Addressing the event, Adityanath outlined the price structure of domestic gas cylinders and the central subsidy provided.
He said a domestic LPG cylinder costs Rs983.45, of which the Indian government provides a subsidy of Rs335, leaving beneficiaries to pay Rs648.55 from their own pockets.
He noted that the state government decided to provide free cylinders during Diwali and Holi so that poor families can use their savings to buy Diwali sweets and lamps.
Contrasting his administration’s governance with previous regimes, Adityanath remarked that citizens faced numerous hardships to obtain a single gas connection during the Congress government, whereas the current government has provided free gas connections to poor families as an example of good governance.
In addition to the LPG announcement, the chief minister spoke regarding the upcoming Deepotsav celebration in Ayodhya, scheduled for 7 November, describing it as a symbol of social unity that brings together people from different sections of society through shared faith and cultural participation.
Adityanath, who is scheduled to visit Ayodhya to review preparations for the event, stated in a post on X that caste divisions had historically been used as a basis for politics.
He highlighted that the double-engine government changed this mindset by initiating Deepotsav in 2017, transforming the cultural heritage of Ram Nagari into a festival for all people. He added that caste rigidity divides society whereas shared faith and culture weave it into a single thread,adding, “Lamps burn in different hands, but their light unites the entire society”.
