'Cooking gas price reduction will increase comfort of my sisters, make their lives easier,' says PM Modi

“The reduction in gas prices will increase the comfort of my sisters and make their lives easier,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On Tuesday, the Union Cabinet announced its decision to slash the prices of a 14.2-kg cooking gas by Rs 200 per cylinder.

The announcement was made by Union Minister Anurag Thakur following a Cabinet meeting chaired by PM Modi.

The Cabinet has also approved an additional subsidy of Rs 200 under the Ujjwala scheme, following which, beneficiaries will now have to pay Rs 400 less in total.

“The festival of Raksha Bandhan is a day to enhance happiness in our family. The reduction in gas prices will increase the comfort of my sisters and make their lives easier. I pray to God that all my sisters be happy and healthy,” PM Modi posted in Hindi on X, formerly Twitter.

रक्षाबंधन का पर्व अपने परिवार में खुशियां बढ़ाने का दिन होता है। गैस की कीमतों में कटौती होने से मेरे परिवार की बहनों की सहूलियत बढ़ेगी और उनका जीवन और आसान होगा। मेरी हर बहन खुश रहे, स्वस्थ रहे, सुखी रहे, ईश्वर से यही कामना है। https://t.co/RwM1a1GIKd

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2023

Hailing the decision and calling it a gift from PM Modi on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan and Onam, Thakur said: “PM Modi has decided that LPG price will be reduced by Rs 200 for all consumers. The government will also provide 75 lakh new LPG connections for free under the Ujjwala scheme.”

New LPG cylinder price

After the Cabinet decision, the revised prices of LPG cylinder for all consumers across India will be Rs 900 rupees instead of 1,100 earlier.

PM Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) beneficiaries will get this Rs 200 relief over and above the Rs 200 subsidy provided in March 2023. So, approx 10 crore Ujjwala beneficiaries will get the cylinder for Rs 700.

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Govt has also approved additional 75 lakh Ujjwala connections, which will take the total beneficiaries under PMUY to 10.35 crore.

The decision to slash cooking gas prices will benefit millions of low-income families in India ahead of crucial Assembly elections in five states and the general election in 2024.

The government will have to spend an additional Rs 4,000 crore towards the enhanced subsidy, over and above the Rs 7,600 crore it has budgeted for the ongoing financial year.