Rahul Slams Ujjwala Subsidy Cut, Says Poor Families Being Pushed Back To Firewood

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday criticised the Narendra Modi government over its decision to reduce the annual quota of subsidised LPG cylinders under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) from nine to four. He also targeted the Centre’s economic and foreign policies, alleging that they had pushed millions of poor families and women back towards using firewood for cooking.

In a post on X, Gandhi said, “Twelve years of anti-poor economic policies and a compromised foreign policy have brought the country to a point where millions of poor families and women are being pushed towards toxic wood smoke.”

‘First Raise Prices, Then Cut Subsidy’

The Congress MP said the number of subsidised cylinders under the Ujjwala scheme had been reduced from nine to four, while the price of a domestic LPG cylinder had increased by Rs89 over the past three months.

12 वर्षों की गरीब-विरोधी आर्थिक नीतियों और compromised विदेश नीति ने आज देश को ऐसे हालात में ला खड़ा कर दिया है जहाँ लाखों गरीब परिवारों और महिलाओं को लकड़ी के ज़हरीले धुएं की तरफ धकेल दिया गया है।

उज्ज्वला योजना में सब्सिडी वाले सिलेंडरों की संख्या 9 से घटाकर 4 कर दिया गया।…

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 9, 2026

“First raise prices, then cut subsidies, and extinguish the poor person’s stove,” Gandhi said. He also claimed that the price of a 5-kg LPG cylinder, often used by migrant workers, had risen by Rs323, questioning how workers would manage their expenses.

Gandhi further accused the government of favouring wealthy industrialists while burdening the poor. He questioned whether workers, farmers, women and the middle class would continue to bear the cost of what he described as a struggling economy.

Why Has Subsidy Been Reduced?

Responding to concerns over the reduction in subsidised cylinders, the government said on Monday (June 8, 2026) that the decision was taken keeping average household consumption in mind.

Launched in 2016, the PMUY initially provided beneficiaries with 12 subsidised 14.2-kg LPG cylinders annually. The number was reduced to nine last year and has now been cut further to four.

In May 2022, the government introduced a targeted subsidy of Rs200 per cylinder for Ujjwala beneficiaries, which was increased to Rs300 in October 2023. The subsidy is directly transferred to beneficiaries’ bank accounts.

The government also noted that international crude oil and LPG prices have witnessed sharp fluctuations amid the ongoing West Asia crisis, affecting domestic fuel costs in India.

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