People’s Gas Program: free cylinders and health protection
The People’s Gas Program (“Gás do Povo“) will guarantee the withdrawal refills of cooking gas (LPG) cylinders for free to more than 17 million low-income families, benefiting about 50 million people throughout Brazil. Without bureaucracy, beneficiaries will be able to pick up the cylinders directly at the accredited resellers closest to their home.Authorization for withdrawal can be made in the following ways:
- The People’s Gas Program App (digital voucher)
- The People’s Gas Program-specific card
- Bolsa Família (Low-Income Family Program) card
- Caixa Econômica Federal’s own channels, defined in a contract signed with the Federal Government.
Families enrolled in the Unified Registry of the Government of Brazil, with a per capita income of up to half a minimum wage (R$ 759), with priority for those who receive Bolsa Família (per capita income of up to R$ 218) are entitled to the benefit. There will be about 65 million cylinders distributed free of charge per year.
The People’s Gas provides immediate relief in the monthly expenses of the poorest families. The price of a cylinder can exceed R$ 150 in some locations in the country, equivalent to 10% of a national minimum wage. This money saved can be used to improve food or help with the health and education of families.
The program was created by the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) and has a partnership with the Ministry of Development and Social Assistance, Family and Fight against Hunger (MDS).
The launch took place on 09/04/2025, at Aglomerado da Serra, in Belo Horizonte, with the participation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The initiative replaces the Gas Aid for Brazilians (Law No. 14,237/2021), ensuring more dignity to families who need it most, ensuring free access to an essential item. The rollout is gradual – starting in November 2025, the new format will reach the entire target audience in March 2026.
Expands the reach of the Gas Aid for Brazilians, which served 5.1 million families. The new program more than triples that number. In the previous model, the benefit was made in cash. Now, there is no cash payment at the withdrawal.
The number of withdrawals of cooking gas cylinder refills varies according to the size of the family:
- Two or three members: up to four per year
- Four or more members: up to six per year
Resellers of LPG who want to participate in the program voluntarily register with CEF. There are about 58 thousand potential resale locations across the country.
The People’s Gas Program is fully financed with public budgetary resources. For 2025, these resources are already provided for in the Annual Budget Law (LOA), with the amount of R$ 3.57 billion. In 2026, R$ 5.1 billion are planned.
The reseller who wants to participate must deliver the refill of the cylinder to the representative of the beneficiary family and will be reimbursed by the CEF for the value of the LPG reference price of the state of domicile of that family. The refill of the cylinder is free for all beneficiaries, who will only have to bear the cost of delivery if they wish to receive the cylinder at home.
The People’s Gas Program reinforces Brazil’s role in global leadership for the just energy transition, in line with the terms of the Brazilian presidency of the G20 and BRICS, as well as Sustainable Development Goal No. 7 (SDG 7) of the United Nations (UN):
- Promotes universal access to clean food cooking technologies
- Fighting energy poverty
- It supports the just energy transition.
The delivery of the cooking gas refill in the cylinder free of charge also contributes to reducing health risks for women and children, in homes where wood stoves and alcohol are still used in food preparation. (Read more on pages 42 to 45: “Combating Energy Poverty”)
NUMBERS
- 17 million families benefited from the free gas cylinder
- 50 million people benefited
- 65 million cylinders distributed per year
- R$ 3.57 billion in investments by the Government of Brazil in 2025
- R$ 5.1 billion in investments by the Government of Brazil in 2026
- 58 thousand distribution points in the country
- March 2026 – Forecast to reach 100% of the target audience
DATES
- 08/26/2024 – Submission of Bill No. 3,335 by the Government of Brazil to the National Congress
- 09/04/2025 – Launch of the People’s Gas aid in Aglomerado da Serra, in Belo Horizonte, and publication of Provisional Measure No. 1,313
- 10/02/2025 – Publication of the aid regulation, through Decree No. 12,649.
