Centre cuts number of subsidized cylinders to four Ujjwala beneficiaries

NEW DELHI: The Centre has reduced the number of LPG cylinders provided to poor families under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana from nine to four. The scheme was launched in 2016. In the first phase, 12 cylinders were provided annually. Last year, it was reduced to nine.

Under the scheme, a subsidy of Rs 300 is provided per cylinder. The revised quota was fixed based on the average annual consumption of the beneficiaries of the scheme, explained Additional Secretary in the Petroleum Ministry Praveen M Khanuja. Khanuja pointed that while providing 14.2 kg of LPG at the international market rate, public sector oil companies are losing Rs 700.

The Centre's new move comes after public sector oil companies increased the price of domestic cooking gas (LPG) by Rs 29 per cylinder. This is the second increase in three months. The revised price has come into effect.

The price of a 14.2 kg cylinder has risen to Rs 951 in Thiruvananthapuram. The price of the cylinder was increased by Rs 60 on March 7 in view of the war in the Middle East. In the past few days, the prices of petrol, diesel and commercial cooking gas have also been increased.

New price
Thiruvananthapuram: Rs 951
Kochi: Rs 949
Thrissur: Rs 954
Kozhikode: Rs 950.50.