Delhi Government Unveils Strategic Fuel Subsidy Initiative for Vulnerable Households

The Delhi Cabinet has authorized a targeted financial assistance program, providing subsidized LPG cylinders to all ration card-holding families within the national capital territory. This initiative, slated for implementation from 2026, will deliver support equivalent to two cylinders annually per eligible household. The disbursement mechanism will utilize Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), strategically timed to coincide with the major festivals of Holi and Diwali, thereby aligning fiscal support with periods of heightened domestic consumption and economic strain for low-income groups. Preliminary estimates indicate the scheme will extend its benefits to approximately 1.75 million families, constituting a significant segment of Delhi's subsidized ration card base. This policy move represents a formalized expansion of the state's welfare architecture, directly addressing energy security and cost-of-living pressures for its most economically vulnerable residents. The structured, bi-annual DBT model aims to enhance transparency, reduce leakage, and ensure predictable support, marking a calculated shift from broader subsidies to a more demographically precise and administratively streamlined intervention.