Amid rising international energy prices and continuing disruptions to LPG supplies caused by the conflict in West Asia, the Union government has quietly reduced the number of subsidised cooking gas refills available annually to beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).

According to a report by The Hindu, eligible households will now receive subsidy support on only four cylinders a year, down from the earlier limit of nine.

The change was not announced separately by the government and surfaced only through details contained in a press statement issued on Sunday (June 7) alongside the latest increase in domestic LPG prices.

The government raised the price of a cylinder by Rs 29, marking the second revision since the outbreak of hostilities in West Asia. Taken together with the earlier increase, the cumulative hike in domestic LPG prices now stands at Rs 89.

With the latest revision, a 14.2-kg LPG cylinder costs Rs 942 in Delhi. Beneficiaries under the PMUY scheme continue to receive an additional subsidy of Rs 300 per cylinder from the Centre, bringing their effective price down to Rs 642, according to the report.

Responding to questions regarding the reduction in the number of subsidised refills, additional secretary in the Union Petroleum Ministry Praveen Khanooja defended the pricing mechanism.

“Whether I am PMUY or a non-PMUY consumer, I am getting a cylinder, which should have cost Rs 1,600 [adhering to international pricing dynamics], at Rs 942 – which is also an indirect subsidy,” he was quoted as saying by TH, adding, “Over and above that, PMUY consumers get Rs 300 more, therefore, they are getting Rs 1,000.”

Launched to expand access to clean cooking fuel among low-income households, the PMUY programme has provided around 10.55 crore LPG connections across the country as of the end of May 2026.

The latest reduction in subsidised refills comes at a time when global energy markets remain volatile and domestic cooking gas prices continue to rise.