Opposition leaders on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the central government after it reduced the number of subsidised LPG cylinder refills under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) from nine per year to four, with critics coining the term 'Andhkaar Scheme' as a rebuke of the flagship welfare programme. The move has drawn condemnation from multiple opposition parties, who argue it signals a retreat from welfare commitments to lower-income households.

What the Government Has Changed

Under the revised policy, PMUY beneficiaries — primarily women from below-poverty-line households — will now receive subsidised refills on only four cylinders annually, down from the earlier ceiling of nine. The decision reportedly comes against the backdrop of rising supply costs: the cost of providing a single domestic LPG cylinder has reportedly crossed ₹1,600, with oil marketing companies said to be incurring losses of approximately ₹700 on every cylinder sold.

Congress Slams the Rollback

Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said the decision exposed the government's inability to sustain welfare support. 'What this means is that PM Modi first took over Congress-era schemes, under which we used to provide almost unlimited subsidies. Later, the number was reduced to around eight or nine cylinders, and then it was rebranded as the Ujjwala scheme. Now, however, this scheme should be called the Andhkaar Scheme,' he said.

Dikshit argued the government could have continued subsidising at least six to nine cylinders per year. 'The government often claims that the work done in the last 12 years surpasses what was achieved in 70 years. If previous governments could provide a 100 per cent subsidy on gas, how has it now been reduced to just three or four cylinders? This suggests that the economy has deteriorated rather than improved,' he said.

He further alleged a broader pattern of subsidy withdrawal — spanning petrol, diesel, fertilisers, and irrigation — as evidence of fiscal stress in the government's finances.

RJD Joins the Criticism

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Kumar Jha said the subsidy trajectory told its own story. 'Earlier, people received subsidies on 12 cylinders, which was later reduced to nine, and now it has come down to just four. This government has failed on multiple fronts. Why do people elect a government if it cannot fulfil its responsibilities?' he said.

Jha also took aim at media coverage, alleging that hardships faced by the middle class and lower-income groups were being overlooked. 'They should step out and assess the ground reality instead of merely discussing Mann Ki Baat. There should be genuine two-way communication with the people to understand their condition,' he added.

The Cost Pressure Behind the Cut

The reduction in subsidised refills is set against a difficult fiscal backdrop for oil marketing companies. With the cost of supplying a single domestic LPG cylinder reportedly crossing ₹1,600 and per-cylinder losses estimated at around ₹700, the government faces mounting pressure to contain the subsidy bill. This is the latest in a series of adjustments to the PMUY framework since the scheme was launched in 2016.

What This Means for Beneficiaries

The PMUY was designed to bring clean cooking fuel to rural and peri-urban households that had historically depended on firewood and biomass. A cut to four subsidised refills per year — roughly one cylinder every three months — raises questions about whether beneficiaries will revert to traditional, polluting fuels for the remaining months. With the scheme covering tens of millions of households, the practical impact on daily cooking costs is expected to be significant. The government is yet to announce any compensatory measures.