Ujjwala Scheme Soars India’s LPG Consumption To Record High While Reducing Kerosene Intake

Powered by the Modi government’s flagship Ujjawala Scheme, India’s demand for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) saw a record surge in financial year 2018-19, reports Reuters.

With an aim of providing cleaner cooking gas to the rural households, Ujjwala Scheme was launched in 2016. So far, 72 million new gas connections have provided under the ambitious, social welfare scheme.

In FY19, India consumed a record 24.9 million tonnes of LPG , 53 per cent higher than five years ago, and 6.9 per cent higher than the previous year. The overall access of LPG to the Indian households have reached 80 per cent by the end of 2018, up from 56 per cent in 2016.

About two thirds of Indian households predominantly in the rural areas, used firewood, coal or dried dung cakes for cooking. The households are now able to avail the benefits of cleaner LPG fuel.

In FY19, India imported a record high 13.2 million tonnes of LPG, which was more than double the import volumes in FY14.

Meanwhile, India’s kerosene sales are witnessing sharp depletion with the FY19 seeing 3.5 million tonnes of kerosene sales in contrast to 7.2 million tonnes sold in 2013-14.