India's ambitious Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) has successfully expanded access to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) connections, reaching over 10.57 crore beneficiaries as of July 1, 2026. However, a recent study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) highlights a significant gap between connection access and sustained, exclusive use, particularly in rural areas.
Rural LPG Use Remains Limited
The CEEW survey, conducted across 2,222 rural households in six states (Assam, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand) between November 2024 and January 2025, found that while 73% of rural households had used LPG in the three months prior, a mere 23% reported using it exclusively for cooking. This indicates that a large segment of beneficiaries continues to rely on traditional cooking fuels.
Alarmingly, the report states that 50% of rural households still primarily depend on firewood, while only 48% primarily use LPG. This dual fuel usage undermines the health and environmental benefits associated with a full transition to clean cooking fuel.
Refill Costs and Delivery Are Major Hurdles
The primary barrier to consistent rural LPG use is the cost of refills. CEEW found that 70% of households not exclusively using LPG cited refill expenses as a significant problem. The effective subsidised price for a 14.2-kg PMUY cylinder stood at ₹642 in July 2026, yet the median household's willingness to pay was only ₹500.
The study suggests that a price point of ₹400 for a 14.2-kg cylinder could be a tipping point, with at least 80% of surveyed households indicating they would then cook exclusively with LPG. PMUY beneficiaries currently average just 4.8 refills per year, falling short of the 7-8 cylinders generally needed for exclusive reliance on LPG.
Logistical Challenges Persist
Beyond affordability, doorstep delivery remains a substantial hurdle. Only 47% of LPG users in the rural sample received cylinders delivered to their homes. This logistical gap forces many, especially those in remote areas, to spend time and resources collecting refills, further discouraging regular usage.
Impact of West Asia Crisis on Expansion
According to Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) data, the April-June 2026 quarter saw a disruption in LPG expansion, with PSU oil marketing companies enrolling only 0.36 lakh new domestic LPG customers. PPAC attributed this slowdown to restrictions imposed during the prevailing West Asia crisis. Concurrently, total LPG sales by PSU OMCs declined by 15.6% year-on-year during the same period, totaling 6.48 million tonnes.
The CEEW report concludes that India's next phase of the clean cooking transition must shift focus from merely providing connections to ensuring refills are affordable, last-mile delivery is reliable, and nominal access translates into sustained, exclusive LPG use.