Delhi is set to become the first kerosene-free city with the government
launching a scheme Tuesday under which 350,000 families using kerosene
oil will get a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder and a cooking
stove for free.
The 'Kerosene-free Delhi' scheme was announced by
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in her budget speech, as subsidised
kerosene was not reaching the intended beneficiaries and often ended up
in the black market.
Dikshit announced a cash subsidy of
Rs.2,000 to the beneficiary families to buy the cylinder, regulator and
gas stove. Earlier in June, it was decided that a cylinder, regulator
and gas stove will be provided directly to the families.
Under
the scheme, the Delhi 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 with two burners and a rubber tube.
"There
are in all 3,56,395 families using kerosene oil for cooking. The shift
from kerosene to LPG will eliminate ongoing black marketing," a Delhi
government official said.
Dikshit will launch the scheme Tuesday will distribute the cylinders and stoves to some of the beneficiaries.
All
the families covered under Below Poverty Line (BPL), Antyodaya Anna
Yojna (AAY) and Jhuggi Ration Card (JRC) schemes will benefit from the
move.
At present, all the BPL and AAY families get 12.5 litres of
kerosene every month at Rs.14.83 per litre against the market rate of
Rs.27 to Rs.30.
