6 free LPG cylinders promised, 3 announced: BJP targets CM Vijay's new scheme

Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy on Monday criticised Chief Minister Joseph Vijay's newly announced Annapoorani Super Six LPG scheme, accusing the state government of failing to fulfil its election promise of providing six free cooking gas cylinders a year to all households.Reacting to the announcement, Thirupathy said the government had now limited the benefit to three cylinders a year and restricted eligibility to families with an annual income below Rs 2.5 lakh.He questioned why the government had reduced both the number of cylinders and the number of beneficiaries compared with its election promise."What was their promise during elections? The manifesto. It was six cylinders per year and to all the households. But now they have come out with some, and they say it is only three cylinders, that too, from Pongal. Why have you deceived the people of Tamil Nadu?" Thirupathy said. He said the government should deliver what it had promised during the election campaign. "I think you have to deliver because it is for the household," he said, as quoted by ANI.WHAT IS ANNAPOORANI SUPER SIX SCHEME?Vijay announced the Annapoorani Super Six scheme in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday, under which eligible families will receive the cost of three LPG cylinders a year directly in their bank accounts. The scheme will be implemented from Pongal 2027 and is expected to benefit around 1.30 crore families with an annual household income below Rs 2.5 lakh.The state government estimates that the scheme will cost the exchequer around Rs 4,000 crore annually.Announcing the scheme, Vijay said rising LPG prices and shortages caused by the prevailing war situation in the Gulf region had increased the financial burden on households."Keeping this in mind, even during a financially constrained situation, in order to lighten the financial burden on the public, protect their welfare, and fulfil the promise made to the people, the government has decided to provide them with the amount spent towards cooking gas cylinders," he said.Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam had promised six free LPG cylinders annually for every household in its election manifesto. Thirupathy's criticism centred on the gap between that promise and the scheme announced on Monday.- EndsWith inputs from ANIPublished By: Ritaban MisraPublished On: Aug 24, 2026 15:47 IST