Congress Criticizes Government Over LPG Subsidy Cuts Amid Rising Prices

The Congress party has launched a strong critique against the central government for its recent cuts to LPG subsidies under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. Party President Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Modi administration of neglecting the needs of impoverished families while claiming to support women's welfare. He pointed out that the number of subsidized cylinders has drastically decreased, and rising LPG prices have made refilling unaffordable for many. This criticism follows a recent price hike of domestic LPG cylinders, raising concerns about the government's commitment to its welfare promises. Read on to discover more about the implications of these subsidy cuts and the political ramifications.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 9, 2026, 14:23 IST

Congress Condemns LPG Subsidy Reductions

On Tuesday, the Congress party sharply criticized the central government for reducing subsidies on LPG cylinder refills under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Modi administration of neglecting impoverished families while claiming to support women's welfare.

Kharge asserted that the government has been consistently cutting welfare schemes and failing to fulfill promises made to economically disadvantaged groups.

He highlighted the grim reality of the Modi government's poverty alleviation efforts, stating that not only have the poor been stripped of their rights to work under the MGNREGA scheme, but they are also being deprived of basic food.

Referring to the Ujjwala scheme, Kharge noted that in 2016, Modi claimed it would free women from the smoke of traditional wood stoves, promising 12 subsidized cylinders annually. However, this number was reduced from 12 to 9 last year, and now it has been further slashed to just 4.

In essence, the promise was for 12 cylinders, but the intention appears to be to provide only 4.

He also pointed out that repeated hikes in LPG prices have made refilling unaffordable for millions of beneficiaries. Mothers and sisters are reportedly being forced to revert to traditional stoves as the Modi government, while shedding crocodile tears over their plight, remains intoxicated by power.

This criticism from Congress comes shortly after the price of a 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder rose from ₹913 to ₹942. Under the PMUY, beneficiaries are expected to pay ₹642 per cylinder even after receiving a subsidy of ₹300 for the first four annual refills, a decrease from the nine subsidized refills announced last year.

The latest price adjustment follows a ₹60 increase per cylinder on March 7, resulting in a total price hike of ₹89 for the 14.2 kg cylinder. Estimates suggest that prior to this latest increase, government oil marketing companies were incurring a loss of approximately ₹703 per cylinder.