The Uttar Pradesh government has begun distributing free LPG cylinders for Diwali, benefiting 1.86 crore families across the state, according to an official statement issued on Thursday. The "double-engine government" has allocated Rs 1,890 crore for this initiative, the statement added.
Last year, the state government provided free LPG cylinders to 1.85 crore families, including over 85 lakh women. This year, the initiative aims to reach even more families, the official statement added.
This year, the initiative aims to reach more families than last year, the statement noted. Under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, free LPG cylinders are distributed twice a year in Uttar Pradesh during Holi and Diwali. The central government provides a subsidy of Rs 300 per beneficiary, while the state government covers the remaining cost. Each beneficiary receives a refill of a 14.2 kg cylinder as part of the scheme.