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The Delhi government led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday, February 3, approved a major welfare scheme under which all ration card-holding families in the Capital will receive annual financial assistance equivalent to the cost of two LPG cylinders, starting 2026. The assistance will be transferred directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts ahead of major festivals such as Holi and Deepavali, offering targeted relief from rising household expenses.

The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister and is expected to benefit around 17.5 lakh ration card-holding families across Delhi. The government said the move reflects its commitment to transparent, rule-based welfare delivery rather than blanket subsidies.

Under the approved scheme, eligible families will receive cash transfers twice a year - once before Holi and again ahead of Deepavali - irrespective of whether they have refilled an LPG cylinder in that particular month. The amount transferred will be linked to the prevailing market price of an LPG cylinder at the time of disbursal.

At present, the price of a domestic LPG cylinder in Delhi stands at Rs 853. Accordingly, non-Ujjwala ration card-holding families will receive Rs 853 per cylinder, while beneficiaries covered under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana will get Rs 553 per cylinder after adjusting the existing Central subsidy of Rs 300 per cylinder.

The Delhi government clarified that the scheme is universal in nature and will apply to all ration card holders, regardless of whether households use LPG or piped natural gas for cooking. Officials said this approach avoids exclusion errors and ensures equal treatment of beneficiaries.

The assistance will be credited through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into the Aadhaar-seeded bank account of the head of the family, ensuring accountability and minimising leakages.

The estimated annual expenditure on the scheme is pegged at nearly Rs 242.77 crore. The government said the cost will be adjusted in line with changes in LPG prices, Central government subsidies and the number of eligible beneficiaries.

A statement from the Chief Minister’s Office said a clear budgetary commitment has been made to ensure smooth implementation of the scheme from 2026 onwards.

The announcement comes amid sustained pressure from the Opposition Aam Aadmi Party, which has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of delaying key election promises, including monthly cash assistance to women.

Ahead of the Assembly elections, the BJP had promised LPG cylinders at subsidised rates for women from economically weaker families, along with free cylinders during major festivals. The government has said scrutiny of ration card data is under way to ensure accurate targeting of benefits.

Addressing mediapersons after the Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister said the scheme goes beyond financial assistance and aims to uphold dignity for families during festive occasions.

“This is not merely financial support. It is a means of ensuring dignity and relief for families when household expenses rise during festivals,” she said, adding that the government is steadily translating its commitments into reality.

Ms. Gupta also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the Ujjwala scheme had played a transformative role in providing clean cooking fuel, better health outcomes and dignity to women across the country.

She said the Delhi government’s initiative builds on this foundation by adopting a transparent, accountable and rule-based welfare model, adding that the scheme reflects the government’s intent as well as its capacity for effective implementation.