UP Cabinet clears 2 free LPG refills for Ujjwala beneficiaries

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Friday approved a proposal to provide two free LPG cylinder refills to beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana during the 2026-27 financial year, with the state government expected to incur an expenditure of Rs 2,142.78 crore.

The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath here. According to the state government, the free refills will be provided in two phases -- the first between October and December 2026 and the second between January and March 2027.

The scheme follows a similar arrangement in previous financial years, when beneficiaries received free cylinder refills around Holi and Diwali. The government said the initiative aims to encourage the use of clean cooking fuel and reduce the harmful effects of smoke on the health of women and children as well as the environment. The benefit will be available to Ujjwala beneficiaries whose bank accounts are linked to Aadhaar and whose Aadhaar authentication has been completed.

The approved the operation of 1,725 air-conditioned electric buses across 18 cities under the gross cost contract (GCC) model, with private operators to manage their procurement, operation and maintenance. The buses will operate in Agra, Aligarh, Ayodhya, Bareilly, Firozabad, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mathura-Vrindavan, Meerut, Moradabad, Prayagraj, Shahjahanpur, Saharanpur, Varanasi and Noida, including Jewar. Under the allocation, Lucknow and Kanpur will receive 300 buses each, Varanasi 250 and Gorakhpur 150. Agra, Ghaziabad, Meerut and Noida, including Jewar, will get 100 buses each.

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