Rural India’s energy crisis: Why dung cakes still fuel kitchens in Uttar Pradesh villages

Despite over 10.33 crore LPG connections distributed under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) as of July 2025, rural households in Uttar Pradesh contin...

What Happened

Despite over 10.33 crore LPG connections distributed under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) as of July 2025, rural households in Uttar Pradesh continue to depend on biomass fuels such as dung cakes, firewood, and agricultural residue for cooking.
The core barrier is refill affordability: a 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder costs Rs 930.50 in Badaun (June 2026), far beyond the means of daily-wage rural households even with the Rs 300 targeted subsidy available to PMUY beneficiaries in 2025-26.
Uttar Pradesh has the highest national rate of dung cake use at 9.1% of households, while only 44% use LPG — creating a stark gap between connection ownership and actual clean fuel adoption.
Prices of all cooking fuels are rising: firewood increased 100–115% within a month in some areas, and even dung cakes doubled to Rs 2 per piece, yet they remain cheaper per meal than LPG refills used at full frequency.
A February 2026 report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) found that 51% of rural Indian households still depend primarily on polluting fuels; the NSSO 78th Round (2020–21) estimated 46% of households cook with biomass.

Static Topic Bridges

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

Launched on 1 May 2016, PMUY aimed to provide free LPG connections (with first refill and stove) to women of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families to replace polluting solid fuels with clean cooking gas. The scheme was expanded (PMUY 2.0) to cover additional categories including migrants.

Original target: 5 crore connections; revised and surpassed — over 10.33 crore connections as of July 2025.
Targeted subsidy of Rs 300 per refill for PMUY beneficiaries (2025-26), approved by Cabinet.
Nodal ministry: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
Beneficiaries span SC/ST families, PMAY beneficiaries, AAY/BPL cardholders, and forest dwellers.

Connection to this news: PMUY succeeded in expanding LPG access but not sustained clean fuel adoption. The persistent use of biomass despite connection ownership reveals a "last-mile affordability gap" the scheme's design did not fully resolve.

Indoor Air Pollution and Health Burden

Burning solid biomass fuels (dung cakes, firewood, crop residues) in unventilated kitchens produces high concentrations of particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon monoxide, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The WHO estimates household air pollution from cooking fires causes approximately 3.2 million deaths annually worldwide, with women and children disproportionately affected.

India accounts for a significant share of global household air pollution deaths due to its large rural biomass-dependent population.
Health impacts include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and adverse birth outcomes.
NFHS-5 (2019–21) found 56.1% of rural Indians still rely on biomass for cooking.

Connection to this news: Continued biomass use in Uttar Pradesh despite PMUY underscores that access to a clean fuel connection alone does not translate into the health and environmental gains the scheme intended.

Energy Poverty and Household Expenditure

Energy poverty refers to the inability of households to access affordable, reliable, and clean energy for basic needs. In India, household energy expenditure as a share of total household expenditure rose from 12% (2011–12) to 13.7% (2023–24) — a 224% increase in absolute terms — indicating that energy is consuming a growing portion of household budgets.

The "energy burden" (share of income spent on energy) is highest among the poorest quintiles.
Biomass fuels like dung cakes are not "free" — they are increasingly purchased at market prices, especially in peri-urban villages where cattle ownership is declining.
Policy experts advocate for decentralized biogas systems and strengthened local maintenance networks as sustainable alternatives.

Connection to this news: Rising energy costs across all fuel types — LPG, firewood, and even dung cakes — trap rural households in a cycle where no clean option is consistently affordable, highlighting the structural dimensions of energy poverty beyond subsidy design.

Key Facts & Data

PMUY launched: 1 May 2016; over 10.33 crore connections released by July 2025.
PMUY 2025-26 subsidy: Rs 300 per refill for beneficiaries; total Cabinet allocation: Rs 12,000 crore.
LPG cylinder price, Badaun, June 2026: Rs 930.50 (14.2 kg).
Uttar Pradesh dung cake dependence: 9.1% of households — highest nationally.
LPG adoption in UP: only 44% of households.
Rural India biomass reliance: 56.1% (NFHS-5, 2019–21); 46% (NSSO 78th Round, 2020–21).
IISD (February 2026): 51% of rural households primarily use polluting fuels.
Household energy expenditure share: rose from 12% (2011–12) to 13.7% (2023–24).
Firewood prices in some UP districts rose 100–115% within a single month.
Dung cakes: doubled in price to Rs 2 per piece in some areas, yet remain cheaper per meal than LPG at full refill frequency.