AI SummaryJammu and Kashmir government has approved J&K Free LPG Cylinder Scheme, which gives six free domestic LPG refills every year to families holding an Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) ration card. Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Satish Sharma told the Legislative Assembly about the approval on 24 September 2026.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah first announced the scheme in his Budget 2026-27 speech on 6 February 2026. The start date, the refund amount per refill and the full rules are not announced yet.
J&K free LPG cylinder scheme latest update
Just three days before the approval, on 21 September, the minister had told the House in a written reply that the scheme was still being examined. That reply came to a starred question from Handwara MLA Sajad Gani Lone. It said the total cost would be worked out only after the rules were final, and gave no count of free cylinders given so far.
The approval news led to protests in the Assembly. Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said the ruling party had promised 12 free cylinders to every household during the 2024 election, and the benefit is now limited to six cylinders for AAY families. The government had already said in March 2026 that it has no plan for 12 free cylinders per household.
How the free refill money will be paid
As per the 21 September reply, the government will pay back the refill cost instead of handing over cylinders free at the gas agency. An AAY family buys the refill at the normal price, and the government sends that amount to its Aadhaar-linked bank account through DBT. The limit is six refills in a year.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | J&K Free LPG Cylinder Scheme for AAY families |
| Announced By | Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Budget 2026-27 |
| Approved | Announced in Assembly on 24 September 2026 |
| Department | Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, J&K |
| Eligible Families | AAY ration card holders in Jammu and Kashmir |
| Benefit | Cost of 6 domestic LPG refills a year |
| Payment Mode | Aadhaar-based DBT to bank account |
| Official Website | fcsca.jk.gov.in |
Who will get the benefit
Only AAY families in Jammu and Kashmir are covered. Priority household (PHH) and non-priority (NPHH) card holders are not part of this scheme. You can check your card type in the J&K ration card list at rcms.jk.gov.in.
The department shared these AAY numbers with the Assembly:
- 8,79,112 people were covered under AAY across J&K on 1 January 2025, with 2,74,695 in Jammu Division and 6,04,417 in Kashmir Division.
- Jammu Division has 83,953 AAY ration cards and Kashmir Division has 1,44,339. Since the refills are given per family, this card count is closer to the number of households that will get the benefit.
- 13,999 names were added to the AAY list after 1 January 2025, with 1,281 in Jammu and 12,718 in Kashmir.
- 9,643 names were removed in the same period, with 6,311 in Jammu and 3,332 in Kashmir.
Kupwara has the most AAY members of any district at 1,20,671, followed by Baramulla at 1,09,815. In Jammu Division, Rajouri leads with 40,063.
What AAY families can do now
There is no application form yet. Since the money will come through Aadhaar-based DBT, keep your Aadhaar linked to both your bank account and your LPG connection. All domestic LPG users also need to finish biometric Aadhaar authentication before 1 October 2026 to keep booking subsidized refills.
AAY families with no LPG connection can apply for a free one under PM Ujjwala Yojana, as AAY households are among its eligible groups.
One comment