Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on 3 November 2025 transferred ₹1,500 crore directly into the bank accounts of more than 1.89 crore eligible families under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, covering the remaining cost of an LPG cylinder refill as a Diwali gift. The disbursement event was held in Lucknow, while a parallel distribution programme was organised in Moradabad, where beneficiaries expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Adityanath.

How the Subsidy Works

A filled LPG cylinder is priced at ₹983.45. The Central government already provides a subsidy of ₹335.40 per cylinder under the Ujjwala scheme. The remaining ₹648.55 — the amount beneficiaries would otherwise pay out of pocket — has now been covered by the Uttar Pradesh government, which transferred the funds directly to gas companies. The net result is that eligible households receive their LPG cylinder refill free of cost this Diwali.

Chief Minister Adityanath explained the arithmetic at the Lucknow event: 'The remaining ₹648.55, which beneficiaries had to pay themselves, has now been covered by the state government as a Diwali gift and paid directly to the gas companies. As a result, beneficiaries will receive LPG cylinders free of cost and can use the savings of around ₹650 for Diwali celebrations, including for buying sweets and lamps.'

Voices from Moradabad

At the Moradabad distribution programme, beneficiary Pinki Kumari said: 'We very happy to receive this Diwali gift. The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath, is making great efforts and it should continue to remain in power.' She also noted that women's safety in Uttar Pradesh had, in her view, improved significantly under the current state administration, saying that 'perpetrators are punished adequately' today compared to earlier years.

Another beneficiary, Sarita, similarly hailed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led governments at the Centre and in the state for the initiative. Several women at the event described the subsidy as arriving without discrimination and providing meaningful financial relief ahead of the festival.

Political Context

Chief Minister Adityanath, while announcing the scheme, asserted that the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government had prioritised public welfare over what he described as dynastic politics. The ₹1,500 crore outlay is significant for a welfare transfer of this nature, reaching households across the state in a single disbursement cycle. This comes amid the festive season, when household expenditure typically rises, and LPG affordability is a recurring concern for lower-income families dependent on the Ujjwala scheme.

Notably, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana — launched by the Centre in 2016 — was designed to provide clean cooking fuel to below-poverty-line households, primarily women. The state's top-up subsidy builds on that framework to bring the effective cost of a refill to zero for this cycle.

What This Means for Beneficiaries

For the 1.89 crore families covered, the ₹650 saving per household represents direct disposable income during Diwali — a period of elevated spending on food, lighting, and gifts. The funds were transferred directly to gas companies rather than passed through beneficiaries' accounts, reducing the risk of leakage. Whether the state government will extend this top-up beyond the festive occasion has not been announced; officials have not indicated any plan for a recurring subsidy beyond this one-time Diwali disbursal.