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.

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