PANAJI
In a major bonanza for households ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday launched the Goa Ujjwala Yojana, 2026, whereby eligible beneficiaries will receive financial assistance equivalent to the average cost of three domestic LPG refills in a financial year.
The Goa Ujjwala Yojana, 2026 replaces the earlier Chief Minister’s Financial Assistance for Refilling of LPG Cylinder Scheme, 2023, removing the earlier income and employment restrictions.
Under the new scheme, eligible beneficiaries will receive financial assistance equivalent to the average cost of three domestic LPG refills in a financial year, with the current assistance amount working out to Rs 2,868, rounded to the nearest thousand rupees. The scheme has a provision of Rs 100 crore.
Addressing media at the Conference Hall, Mantralaya, Porvorim, Sawant said the Goa Ujjwala Yojana 2026 fulfils the government’s commitment to provide support towards the cost of three LPG cylinders to eligible households. “By expanding the coverage and removing the income and employment restrictions, the scheme will extend assistance to a wider section of Goan households.” Making the benefit accessible to more households, the scheme will cover existing female beneficiaries aged 18 years and above under the Griha Aadhaar Scheme and Dayanand Social Security Scheme (DSSS) by default, subject to verification of their LPG or PNG connection details. Other eligible persons above 18 years can apply under the open category, provided they are Goa residents with a valid Goa EPIC and have a domestic LPG connection in Goa, either in their own name or in the name of a family member. Eligible domestic PNG consumers will also be covered.
Applications for the scheme will be made offline, with forms being made available at panchayat offices from September 5. Applicants will be required to submit the prescribed documents along with their application, while existing Griha Aadhaar and DSSS beneficiaries will have simplified documentation requirements.
The assistance will be transferred through DBT and ECS mode, with the benefit scheduled to be credited by September 10 for eligible applications. The assistance amount will be determined annually based on the prevailing average retail price of domestic LPG. The scheme provides for one benefit per household in a financial year, with no income ceiling and ration card alone not determining eligibility. Besides, beneficiaries who shift from LPG to PNG can continue to receive assistance, subject to eligibility. The scheme will be implemented by the Civil Supplies Department with technical support from GEL, while applications under the open category will be scrutinised by the Taluka Assistant Director of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs.
A grievance mechanism will also be available, with appeals to the Director of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs; false claims may invite recovery and further legal action.
