Providing 12 free LPG cylinders to poor is a policy matter: Govt informs Assembly
Srinagar, Oct 29: A day after the ruling National Conference government defended its welfare initiatives in the Assembly, it admitted that one of its major election promises — providing 12 free LPG cylinders to poor families — is still only under consideration and not yet implemented.
Responding to a written question (Unstarred AQ No. 592) by MLA Satish Kumar Sharma, the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs stated that the provision of 12 free LPG cylinders to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households “is a policy matter and is under consideration with the Government.”
The government, however, informed that additional ration support has been extended to poor families under the AAY category. “The department is providing additional 10 kg free ration to the beneficiaries under AAY category since April 2025 in light of Government Order No. 25-JK (FCS&CA) of 2025 dated 02.04.2025, intending to augment the monthly food requirements of AAY households having a family size of four to eight members, while ensuring it does not exceed 10 kg per beneficiary in such households under the public distribution system,” the reply said.
Officials said this additional quantity of free ration was introduced following a Cabinet decision on March 27, 2025, to strengthen food security among the poorest families in the Union Territory. The move, they said, was part of the government’s effort to mitigate inflationary pressures on low-income households.
However, the much-publicised promise of 12 free LPG cylinders per year — one of the flagship commitments made by the National Conference during the last Assembly elections — has yet to see any formal rollout. The government has clarified that while discussions are ongoing, no final decision or order has been issued in this regard.
In its reply, the department further stated that no dedicated funds are presently being allocated by the government for the procurement of the additional ration provided to AAY households. “The additional quantity of ration is being distributed free of cost amongst the bona fide rationees as per Government directives. However, the procuring cost, loading, unloading, and other components are being met out by the Department from the revolving fund account,” it said.
The AAY scheme, launched by the Government of India, aims to provide highly subsidised food grains to the poorest of the poor. The additional 10 kg ration supplement introduced in Jammu and Kashmir is in continuation of that effort.
Officials said that while the NC government has acted on expanding foodgrain support, the LPG component of its welfare plan remains pending due to the financial implications and policy coordination required between the Union Territory and central ministries.
The National Conference had made the promise of providing 12 free LPG cylinders to every poor family a central plank of its 2024 election manifesto, branding it as a measure to relieve low-income households from rising fuel prices. The party’s leadership had repeatedly cited the scheme as a symbol of its commitment to social justice.
However, as of now, the government’s own admission in the Assembly indicates that the promise remains on paper, with the proposal still under review at the policy level.
