Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The return of smoke-filled kitchens is becoming a reality for many rural households in Madhya Pradesh as beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana are being forced back to traditional firewood stoves amid growing difficulties in accessing LPG refills. As of December 2025, Madhya Pradesh had
around 88.44 lakh Ujjwala gas connections. Free Press spoke to a few women who were beneficiaries of the scheme but are now switching back to traditional chulhas due to the ongoing difficulties.
In the predominantly tribal district of Jhabua, concerns over LPG availability have pushed several households and small eateries to revert to traditional mud stoves. Women who had earlier shifted to LPG cooking under government schemes are now once again collecting firewood and tending smoky stoves.
Shantibai Charan, a resident of Petlawad in Jhabua district, said her family had been cooking on a chulha for the past few days. While arranging firewood beside her chulha, she said, We don t know whether the shortage is real or just a rumour, but we keep hearing that LPG cylinders are becoming scarce. So we have started using the chulha again.
A similar situation is being reported from the Bundelkhand region. With no gas available and no clarity from authorities Rani has been forced to return to cooking on a traditional chulha. The same smoke- filled kitchen she had once hoped to leave behind has now become her reality again.
Rani, who received an LPG connection under the Ujjwala scheme on March 8, 2019, said the promise of a smoke-free kitchen now seemed distant as refilling a cylinder had become extremely difficult.
To refill a single LPG cylinder, I have to stand in a queue for nearly seven to eight hours. Even after waiting the entire day, we are told to get a DSE number. But the online booking system is not working and without booking the DSE number cannot be generated, she said.
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana
The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched by the central government in 2016 to provide free LPG connections to women from below poverty line (BPL) households.
The scheme aims to reduce indoor air pollution caused by traditional cooking methods such as firewood and cow dung, while promoting clean cooking fuel and improving the health and dignity of women in rural households. Under the scheme, eligible beneficiaries receive an LPG connection with financial assistance for the stove and first refill.
Rishita Tomar
