New Delhi [India], February 4 (HBTV): The Delhi Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, has approved a scheme under which all ration card-holding families in the national capital will receive annual financial assistance equivalent to the cost of two LPG cylinders, beginning in 2026.
The assistance will be provided on the occasions of major festivals, including Holi and Diwali. According to an official statement, the decision aims to provide relief from inflation to economically weaker families and reflects a people-centric approach to welfare.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the scheme is part of the Delhi Government’s policy of targeted, transparent and accountable welfare. She stated that the prescribed amount will be transferred through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into the Aadhaar-seeded bank account of the head of the family.
The scheme will cover all ration card-holding families in Delhi and is universal in nature. It will apply equally to all beneficiaries, irrespective of whether they use LPG or PNG for cooking. Financial assistance will be provided twice a year on Holi and Diwali, regardless of whether a cylinder refill is undertaken in the respective month.
At present, the price of an LPG cylinder in Delhi is INR 853. Beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) will receive financial assistance of INR 553 per cylinder after adjustment of the INR 300 per cylinder subsidy provided by the Government of India. Non-Ujjwala ration card-holding families will receive assistance of INR 853 per cylinder.
The estimated annual expenditure on the scheme is approximately INR 242.77 crore. The amount will be adjusted based on changes in LPG prices, central government subsidies, and the number of beneficiaries. The Delhi Government has made a clear budgetary provision for the implementation of the scheme.
Rekha Gupta said the initiative is not merely financial assistance but a means of ensuring dignity and relief for families during the festive season. She also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that through the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, the central government has provided clean fuel, improved health outcomes, and a life of dignity to crores of women across the country.
The Chief Minister said the Delhi Government’s initiative extends this approach, where welfare is implemented through rule-based and transparent governance rather than subsidy politics. She reiterated that the scheme was part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Sankalp Patra and said the government is steadily translating its commitments into reality, describing the initiative as proof of intent and capacity for effective governance.
(ANI)