Delhi will soon become the first kerosene-free city in the country with the Delhi Government set to launch an ambitious scheme tomorrow under which 3.56 lakh households will get an LPG cylinder and a gas stove free of cost.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit announced the scheme in her budget speech after the Government came to the conclusion that subsidised kerosene does not reach the intended beneficiaries and often ends up in the black market.
Under the scheme, the Government will provide each of the 3,56,395 families, which are getting subsidised kerosene, a filled LPG cylinder, regulator, an ISI-marked gas stove having two burners and a rubber tube.
The Chief Minister, while launching the scheme at the Secretariat tomorrow, will distribute the cylinders and stoves to 200 beneficiaries.
In her budget speech, Dikshit had announced providing cash subsidy of Rs 2,000 to each of the beneficiary families to buy the cylinder, regulator and gas stove. However, the Cabinet in June decided to provide the cylinder, regulator and gas stove directly to the families.
All the families covered under BPL and Antyodaya Anna Yojna (AAY) will come under the scheme besides those residing in Jhuggi Jhopri relocation colonies.
All the BPL and AAY families are currently eligible to get 12.5 litres of kerosene oil every month at Rs 14.83 per litre against the market rate of Rs 27 to Rs 30.
According to a study by the National Council of Applied Economic Research, nearly half of the kerosene supplied through the PDS in Delhi found its way to the black market.
Keywords: Delhi to become first kerosene-free city, 3.56 lakh households in Delhi to get LPG cylinder, gas stove free of cost, Delhi Government, Delhi Government scheme, Sheila Dikshit, black market for kerosene, below poverty line families, Antyodaya Anna Yojna
Comments:
It is a welcome step in the right direction but LPG refills for BPL families should be subsidised for betterment of people. There are many election stunts by many state governments like Rice, Colour TV, Mobile Phone etc but doing away with Kerosene is more appropriate.
I just calculate using data from govt. sources and find that
subsidy of Rs. 13 per litre on kerosene costs Delhi approx. Rs 1950 annually per BPL family
Subsidy of Rs. 418 per cylinder will cost Rs. 2508 for 6 cylinder annually.
for 3.5 lacs BPL family LPG cylinder will cost Delhi Govt 19.53 crores annually more than it costs today providing Subsidised Kerosene. And also initial cost of 70 crores for Rs. 2000 subsidy to buy cyliders & gas stoves.
No norms for no of cyliders per family right now. so burden of subsidy may be more if it is counted as 8, 10 or 12 cylinders.
it is very good scheme to remove the proverty from ncr delhi, i appricate it
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