UP sanctions ₹550 cr for free LPG refill to PMUY beneficiaries

LUCKNOW Ahead of Diwali, the Uttar Pradesh government has sanctioned ₹550.30 crore for the provision of free LPG refills to beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), even as around 75 lakh beneficiaries still remain unverified and may not be able to avail the benefit unless they complete their KYC. The cylinders are scheduled to be distributed between October and December 2024.

This move is part of the state government’s pre-poll promise to offer two free refills annually — one for Holi and one for Diwali.

According to a government order, this budget allocation will be drawn from the financial year 2024-25 under the grants designated for essential commodities distribution, which also includes provisions for staple items like whole gram, iodized salt, and refined soybean oil.

A significant number of beneficiaries are unable to avail of the benefit due to delays in verification of their personal details by oil companies. This verification issue, officials said, has been a recurring obstacle in extending the scheme’s benefits effectively to all intended recipients.

Nearly 58% of PMUY beneficiaries in UP failed to avail two free LPG cylinder refills during the 2023-24 fiscal. Only 1.51 crore of the free LPG refills against 3.5 crore refills were done in the year.

A senior official claimed the situation has gradually improved. “Now, only around 75 lakh Ujjawal beneficiaries remain unverified. We hope to complete the verification of all beneficiaries by December so that no genuine beneficiaries are deprived of the benefit,” he said.