PM Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY): free LPG connection for women, the myths and the real rules (2026)

Let us clear up the confusion first, because a lot of wrong ideas float around about Ujjwala. People in the queue at the gas agency say all sorts of things, and some of it scares women away from a scheme they have every right to use.

Myth one is “the gas is fully free forever.” That is not true, and it was never the promise. What is free is the connection itself. You do not pay the security deposit for the cylinder, the regulator, the pipe, the consumer card, or the installation. Under Ujjwala 2.0 your first refill and a gas stove are also free. After that you buy refills like any other family, but the government sends a subsidy back into your bank account.

Myth two is “I have to pay the full market price for every refill.” Also not true. As an Ujjwala beneficiary you get a special subsidy of Rs 300 per 14.2 kg cylinder, sent straight to your Aadhaar-linked bank account by Direct Benefit Transfer. So your real cost is the shop price minus Rs 300.

Myth three is “we already have a gas connection at home, so I can forget it.” This one is half true and worth understanding. Ujjwala is meant for households that do not already have an LPG connection in any family member's name. If someone in your home already holds a connection, you cannot get a second free one under Ujjwala. That is the rule, not a clerk being difficult.

So here is the honest one-line version. Ujjwala gives a poor woman a free gas connection in her own name, a free first cylinder, a free stove, and a Rs 300 subsidy on refills. Now let us go through who qualifies, how you apply, and what to do when something goes wrong.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) is a flagship welfare scheme of the Government of India that gives poor women a deposit-free LPG cooking gas connection in their own name. The scheme was launched on 1 May 2016 from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh by the Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and it is run by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas through the three public-sector oil marketing companies: Indian Oil (Indane), Bharat Petroleum, and HP Gas.

The reason it was built is both simple and serious. Before Ujjwala, crores of Indian households cooked on mud chulhas burning firewood, dried cow dung, or crop residue. The smoke from these fuels contains harmful pollutants — fine particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide — that damage the lungs of the women and small children who breathe them for hours every day. Studies referenced by the World Health Organization have long identified household air pollution from solid-fuel cooking as a leading cause of respiratory disease and premature death among women in low-income countries. Ujjwala was designed to change this by making clean cooking fuel affordable for the poorest families.

Think of a typical home in a village or a small town. The woman cooks on a mud chulha with firewood, dried cow dung, or crop waste. She wakes early to gather fuel, her eyes water from the smoke, and the kitchen wall is black. The smoke is hard on her lungs and on the small children sitting beside her. On a rainy day the wood will not catch, and the morning meal is late. This was the daily reality for crores of women.

Now picture the same kitchen after an Ujjwala connection arrives. There is a clean blue flame, no smoke, and a hot meal in a few minutes. The hours once spent collecting wood go back to her, to her children, or to a little earning work. The change is not magic and it is not free of cost forever, but it is real, and it is why this scheme was built around the woman of the house and not the man.

Ujjwala 2.0 was announced in 2021 and added three important upgrades: the free first refill, the free single-burner stove, and easier rules for migrant families who could not produce a local ration card or address proof. As on 1 July 2025, there were approximately 10.33 crore Ujjwala connections across the country. You can see this scheme next to every other welfare programme on the All Modi-era Sarkari Yojana index 2014 to 2026.

The connection is for an adult woman, at least 18 years old, from a poor household. You qualify if your family falls in any one of these groups.

Two more conditions apply to everyone, regardless of category. There must be no LPG connection already in any family member's name, and the connection will be issued in the woman's name linked to her Aadhaar. For the full set of accepted identity and address papers, see our Documents required guides.

Under Ujjwala 2.0, the scheme was made easier for migrant families. If you have moved for work and cannot produce a local ration card or address proof, you can give a self-declaration of your family list and address. A migrant worker does not have to run back to the home village for papers. This is especially useful for families who may also hold an e-Shram card for unorganised workers.

• Deposit-free connection. The security deposit for the cylinder and regulator, the pressure regulator, the suraksha hose, the consumer card, and the installation charge are all paid by the government. You do not pay this deposit.
• Free first refill. The first cylinder of gas comes free under Ujjwala 2.0.
• Free stove. A single-burner hotplate is given free under Ujjwala 2.0, so you are not stuck with a connection and no way to cook on it.
• Refill subsidy of Rs 300. On each qualifying refill, Rs 300 per 14.2 kg cylinder comes back to your bank account through DBT.

A word on the refill subsidy, because the number has changed before and can change again. The amount was Rs 200 a cylinder when it started in 2022, and the government raised it to Rs 300 in October 2023 following Cabinet approval (see PIB release PRID 1984593 below). The number of subsidised refills in a year is fixed by the Cabinet each year. For recent years it has been up to nine refills per household per year, after which you pay the normal market price. Since this cap is reviewed annually, please check the live number on pmuy.gov.in before you count on it. The Rs 300 rate itself has held steady for the last few years.

1. Choose how to apply. You can walk in to any nearby LPG distributor of Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, or HP Gas, or you can apply online at pmuy.gov.in and pick your gas company and distributor.
2. Fill the Ujjwala form. Use the KYC form for a new connection. There is a short Form A for the application and a Form B style declaration for your family details and the no-existing-connection promise. Staff at the distributor will hand you the right form.
3. Give your KYC papers. Submit the woman applicant's Aadhaar, a bank passbook in her name, and proof of address. Migrant families can use the self-declaration route here. See the accepted documents list at Aadhaar accepted documents.
4. Complete eKYC. Aadhaar-based eKYC is done with an OTP on the Aadhaar-linked mobile, or by a fingerprint or face check at the distributor. This links the connection and the subsidy to the right person.
5. Distributor verifies and forwards. The distributor checks your papers and sends the case to the oil company, which usually clears it in about a week to ten days.
6. Collect the kit. The cylinder, regulator, and the free stove are installed and a quick safety check is done. From here on, the Rs 300 refill subsidy lands in the woman's bank account after each qualifying refill.

After your application is submitted, you can track progress through the LPG company's online portal or the Ujjwala portal. Our Status-check guides cover how to check application and DBT status. If the subsidy amount is not reaching your bank, the guide at DBT money not credited fix walks you through the exact steps to resolve it, and Aadhaar bank seeding status helps you check if your Aadhaar is properly linked.

Full document checklist: Documents required guides

This is by far the most common complaint from Ujjwala beneficiaries, and in nine out of ten cases the cause is the same: the Aadhaar number is not linked to the bank account in the NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) mapper. The DBT pipeline uses this mapper to route the subsidy to the correct bank. If the seeding is broken or was never completed, the money simply does not arrive, even though the rest of the connection is working fine.

Here is the step-by-step fix:

1. Check your Aadhaar-bank link. Dial 99 from your registered mobile or use the Aadhaar bank seeding status guide to confirm whether the link is active.
2. Visit your bank branch. Submit a small Aadhaar seeding form (also called a DBT linking form). The bank updates the NPCI mapper, which usually takes 2 to 5 working days.
3. Confirm on the LPG portal. Log in to your LPG company portal (Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, or HP Gas) and check the DBT status. Our guide at DBT money not credited fix walks you through each screen.
4. Wait one refill cycle. The pending subsidy from earlier refills often releases automatically once the seeding is fixed, usually arriving within the next refill cycle.

Other, less common reasons: you may have crossed the annual cap of subsidised refills (recently up to nine), after which cylinders are charged at full market price with no subsidy. Or the LPG company's records may have an old mobile number, so the OTP-based DBT confirmation fails. If you have already fixed the bank link and the subsidy is still stuck after two refill cycles, the next step is a written RTI application — see the RTI section below.

No. The connection is issued only in the name of an adult woman aged 18 or above. The family may qualify, but the legal title of the cylinder connection and the subsidy both go to the woman of the house. This is a deliberate design choice — the scheme's purpose is to empower the woman and make her the legal owner of the household's clean-cooking asset.

A related question is whether two connections can exist in one home. The answer is no. Ujjwala is only for households where no family member already holds an LPG connection. If someone in the household already has a connection (Ujjwala or regular), the application will be refused, and that refusal is correct under the rules. A household cannot hold two subsidised connections. If the existing connection is no longer used or has been transferred out, the family should surrender or close it first before applying for Ujjwala.

Ujjwala does not work in isolation. Many beneficiaries also qualify for, and benefit from, a cluster of related government schemes that together cover food, shelter, water, electricity, and income. If you already have or are applying for Ujjwala, check whether you are also enrolled in these:

For a wider view of every central welfare programme, browse the All Modi-era Sarkari Yojana index 2014 to 2026. Women seeking broader welfare information may also find the women helpline 181 and women social welfare schemes in India guides useful.

• A family member already has a connection. Ujjwala will be refused, and that refusal is correct. You cannot hold two subsidised connections in one home. If the existing one is not used, the family can surrender it first.
• The subsidy is not credited to the bank. This is the most common complaint. It almost always means the Aadhaar is not seeded to the bank account in the NPCI mapper. Visit the bank, ask them to link Aadhaar for DBT, and the pending subsidy usually flows in after that.
• The refill still feels costly. Remember the Rs 300 comes back after you pay, not at the counter. Also check that you have not crossed the yearly cap of subsidised refills, since cylinders beyond that are charged at the full market price.
• A distributor asks for cash for the “free” connection. The connection deposit, the first refill, and the stove are paid by the government and are not to be charged to you. If anyone demands money for these, that is wrong. Note the date and the person, and complain to the LPG distributor's grievance cell or the helpline.
• The stove was not given. Under Ujjwala 2.0 the first refill and stove are part of the package and free. If they are held back, raise it with the distributor in writing.
• Wrong mobile number on record. If the OTP for DBT confirmation does not arrive, the number linked to the LPG connection may be outdated. Update it at the distributor with an Aadhaar-based verification.

If you are unsure whether a problem is a grievance or an RTI matter, our guide on RTI vs grievance portals explains the difference, and RTI for government scheme delay has specific templates for stalled welfare benefits.

• Official portal: pmuy.gov.in
• LPG Emergency and helpline: 1906
• Toll-free LPG: 1800-2333-555
• Track status: Status-check guides
• Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas: mopng.gov.in
• MyScheme listing: myscheme.gov.in

When the distributor and the helpline lead nowhere, a written Right to Information request often gets the file moving, because the public authority then has to answer in writing or explain the delay. Most stuck cases get a clear reply within the 30-day window the law allows. An RTI is especially effective for:

• Subsidy pending for more than two refill cycles after the Aadhaar-bank link is fixed
• Application approved on the portal but no cylinder delivered for weeks
• Distributor refusing to accept a valid KYC form without giving a reason

You can draft a clean request in minutes with the AI RTI Drafter, and learn the full filing and appeal steps in The RTI Playbook. For more on using RTI for money-related and scheme-related delays, see RTI for money and schemes.

The connection is free, yes. You do not pay the deposit for the cylinder and regulator, and under Ujjwala 2.0 the first refill and the stove are also free. Refills after that are bought at market price, with Rs 300 a cylinder coming back to your bank account as subsidy.

No. The connection is issued in an adult woman's name. The family may qualify, but the title and the subsidy go to the woman of the house.

It is Rs 300 per 14.2 kg cylinder, paid into the Aadhaar-linked bank account by DBT. The number of subsidised refills in a year is set by the Cabinet each year and has recently been up to nine. Check pmuy.gov.in for the current cap.

No. Ujjwala is only for homes with no existing LPG connection in any family member's name. A household cannot hold two subsidised connections.

Go to your bank and ask them to seed your Aadhaar to the account for DBT in the NPCI mapper. A missing Aadhaar-bank link is the usual reason the Rs 300 does not arrive. See DBT money not credited fix for the full step-by-step.

No. It is non-transferable. Misuse can lead to cancellation and recovery of the benefit.

Yes. Under Ujjwala 2.0, a migrant family can submit a self-declaration of the family list and address instead of a ration card or local address proof. This was a key change introduced in 2021 to reach families who move for work.

Ujjwala 1.0 (launched 2016) gave the deposit-free connection. Ujjwala 2.0 (announced 2021) added the free first refill, the free single-burner stove, and the self-declaration route for migrants. The Rs 300 refill subsidy applies under both.

Yes. You can select your preferred oil marketing company and distributor either at the distributor counter or on the pmuy.gov.in online application portal.

Yes. The Cabinet sets the cap annually. For recent years it has been up to nine subsidised refills per household per year (14.2 kg cylinders). Beyond that, you pay the full market price with no subsidy. Confirm the current number on pmuy.gov.in.

• Ration card under NFSA for subsidised food
• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin for a pucca house
• PM Kisan Samman Nidhi income support for farmers
• Saubhagya Yojana for a free electricity connection
• Jal Jeevan Mission for tap water at home
• Janani Suraksha Yojana for safe delivery
• PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana life cover
• PM Suraksha Bima Yojana accident cover
• e-Shram card for unorganised workers
• All Modi-era Sarkari Yojanas 2014 to 2026

• Official portal: pmuy.gov.in — PMUY registration, status, and scheme details
• PIB Press Release PRID 1984593, pib.gov.in — Cabinet approval of Rs 300 targeted PMUY subsidy for up to nine refills, FY 2025-26, total outlay Rs 12,000 crore
• Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, mopng.gov.in — PMUY 2.0 free connection, first refill and stove, and scheme overview
• PIB Press Release PRID 1769956, pib.gov.in — Ujjwala 2.0 launch announcement and migrant self-declaration provision
• MyScheme (National e-Governance Plan), myscheme.gov.in — Consolidated scheme details and eligibility criteria
• National Portal of India, india.gov.in — Government scheme directory cross-reference
• Launched 1 May 2016 from Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, with about 10.33 crore connections as on 1 July 2025

Written by Dr. Shrawan Kumar Pathak.

Last reviewed: 11 July 2026.