Diwali 2025: UP government to distribute free LPG cylinders under Ujjwala Yojana ahead of festival

In a move aimed at providing festive relief to poor households, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government is set to distribute another tranche of free LPG cylinders to beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) ahead of Diwali. The decision, seen as both a welfare push and a strategic outreach to women voters, comes as part of the state’s ongoing efforts to promote clean cooking fuel among rural families.

Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2016 from Ballia, the Ujjwala scheme has provided over 1.8 crore LPG connections to women in Uttar Pradesh so far. The initiative aims to eliminate dependence on traditional, polluting fuels such as wood and cow dung, improving health outcomes and reducing indoor air pollution.

Rs 1500 crore earmarked in state budget

According to officials from the Department of Food and Civil Supplies, the UP government has allocated Rs 1500 crore for the free LPG cylinder distribution programme in the 2025–26 fiscal year. Of this, Rs 346 crore has already been released as the first instalment to ensure smooth and timely implementation. Minister for Civil Supplies Satish Sharma confirmed that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will formally roll out the fresh round of distribution on Wednesday.

The government has instructed officials to ensure that the funds are used efficiently and not parked in banks. Beneficiaries whose identities have been verified through Aadhaar data will receive the benefit in coordination with oil marketing companies.

A strategic pre-Diwali welfare move

The announcement echoes the BJP’s earlier strategy of aligning welfare measures with festive occasions to strengthen grassroots outreach. The Ujjwala scheme, credited with empowering women voters, played a pivotal role in BJP’s sweeping victory in the 2017 UP assembly elections, a playbook the party appears ready to revisit this Diwali.