6 free LPG gas cylinders to be provided; major announcement by this state government..

Making a major announcement in the Legislative Assembly, the Omar Abdullah government has declared that six LPG cylinders will now be provided free of cost annually in Jammu and Kashmir. Families covered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) will receive the benefits of this scheme. These families will now get six cylinders for free every year, while they will receive a subsidy on any additional cylinders purchased. Satish Sharma, the Minister for Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs, made this announcement during the Assembly session on September 24. Lakhs of poor families are set to receive direct financial benefits from this scheme.

**Benefit of 6 LPG Cylinders**

According to information provided by the government, the benefits of this scheme will be available exclusively to 'Antyodaya Anna Yojana' (AAY) ration card holders in Jammu and Kashmir. These cards are issued to families belonging to the poorest and most marginalized sections of society. To ensure complete transparency, the government will utilize the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism. Under this system, beneficiaries will first purchase the cylinder at the standard price, after which the full cost of the cylinder will be refunded to their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts as a subsidy. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also shared details of this decision on social media.

**Uproar in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly**

Significant commotion was witnessed in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly regarding this issue. The opposition BJP created a massive uproar in the House over the scheme. The opposition alleges that during the Assembly elections, the National Conference had promised in its manifesto to provide 12 free LPG cylinders annually to 'every family' in Jammu and Kashmir—a promise that remains unfulfilled. Upon assuming power, the government reduced the number of cylinders from 12 to 6. Furthermore, while the initial proposal was to extend the benefit to everyone, it has now been restricted solely to AAY ration card holders. This issue led to a heated scene in the House. While the government and the opposition are currently engaged in a heated standoff over this issue during the assembly session, it is expected that the government will now proceed with the plan to provide six free cylinders following the announcement made in the House. The government states that the initiative aims to provide a safety net for poor families who are completely unable to afford expensive fuel; consequently, work is commencing on the scheme to supply six free cylinders.

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