NEW DELHI: The average consumption of LPG by Ujjwala beneficiaries rose to four domestic refills of 14.2 kg in the pandemic-hit 2012-2021 financial year from 3.49 cylinders in 2019-2020, the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
The increase may be attributed to the government’s offer of three free Ujjwala cylinders between April and December 2020 as part of Covid-19 relief package for the poor as 84% of the beneficiaries returned for refills.
But it also raises the prospect of diversion, which was flagged by Comptroller and Auditor General in December 2019, due to a widening gap between the price of subsidised domestic cylinders supplied to Ujjwala beneficiaries and non-subsidised refills to common households as well commercial cylinders of 19 kg.
