Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has approved a scheme to provide the cost of six domestic LPG refills annually to families covered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Satish Sharma informed the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
The announcement came during the ongoing Assembly session and immediately triggered heated exchanges between the treasury and Opposition benches.
“I want to inform the House that the six free gas cylinder scheme has got approval of the authority concerned. Details will be shared shortly,” Satish Sharma said in the House. Reports also indicate that the benefit is proposed to be delivered through Aadhaar-enabled Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to eligible beneficiaries.
BJP Questions Earlier Election Promise
The BJP opposed the announcement, with members arguing that the ruling National Conference had promised 12 free LPG cylinders during the elections.
Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma questioned why the government had approved six cylinders instead of the 12-cylinder commitment cited by the Opposition.
“This is cheating. The ruling party had promised 12 free cylinders,” BJP members said during the disruption.
Sunil Sharma accused the government of misleading poor families and raised questions over other commitments related to electricity, ration and employment. His remarks led to protests from the treasury benches, while BJP legislators continued raising slogans.
The exchanges continued for some time before Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather intervened and restored order in the House, allowing the remaining legislative business to proceed.
Scheme Targets AAY Families
The Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) covers some of the most economically vulnerable households. According to information placed before the Assembly earlier this week, 8,79,112 beneficiaries were covered under AAY in Jammu and Kashmir as of January 1, 2025.
The government had previously stated that the six-refill provision would involve reimbursement of LPG refill costs through DBT. At that stage, officials had said that various modalities were still under examination and that the exact financial implications would be worked out after finalisation of the scheme.
Thursday’s announcement indicates that approval from the competent authority has now been received, with the government expected to issue further details on implementation.
Political Dispute Over Scope of Benefit
The central point of contention in the Assembly was the difference between the six-refill scheme now approved for AAY families and the 12-cylinder promise cited by the BJP.
The Opposition questioned both the number of cylinders and the eligibility criteria, while the government announced that the six-cylinder scheme had received the required approval.
The issue led to one of the day’s prominent confrontations in the Assembly, highlighting the continuing political debate over welfare commitments and their implementation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Further details regarding the implementation date, beneficiary verification, DBT process and other modalities are expected to be released by the government.
