Why in News? Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on approved a scheme to give free cooking gas connections to poor women.
Background
· Poor in India have limited access to Clean fuel (LPG).
· Use of fossil fuels and conventional fuel like cow dung has a serious health implication for women and Children. According to WHO estimates about 5 lakh deaths in India due to unclean cooking fuel.
· Chullahs produce PM 2.5, particles under 2.5 microns that lodge in the lungs and cause cancer and TB.
· Biomass smoke makes people blind. One NFHS study of women showed that blindness was 8,967 per lakh population in biomass homes compared with 6,152/lakh in cleaner-fuel homes. Indoor air pollution is responsible for significant number of acute respiratory diseases in young children.
Features
· This is the first ever welfare scheme by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
· 5 Crore LPG connections will be provided to BPL families with a support of Rs 1600 each household in next three years.
· About 1.50 Crore BPL families will be benefited under the scheme in the year 2016-17.
· Connections will be given in the name of Women beneficiaries.
· Identification of BPL families will be made in consultation with State Governments and Union territories. EMI Facility will be provided for meeting the cost of stove and refill cost.
Benefits
· Providing LPG connections to BPL households will ensure universal coverage of cooking gas. It will reduce the serious health hazards associated with cooking based on fossil fuels
· It will also be one more step towards empowerment of women and protect their health.
· The scheme is also expected to provide employment to rural youth in supply chain.
· It will also reduce rural female workload of collecting firewood, and reduce deforestation.
Challenges:
· Each BPL household would have to spend up to Rs.5,000 each year on LPG even at current subsidised prices in addition to a one-time cost of Rs.1,800 for the connection. This cost may be unaffordable to many.
· Lack of distribution systems especially in rural areas.
· There are many inclusion and exclusion errors in BPL lists as observed by various civil society members.
· Also BPL is a narrow definition of deprivation and many non-BPL households may also not be able to afford LPG connections.
Way Forward:
· There is a need to widen the net to cover more people under this scheme.
· Ensure reliable, sustained and last-mile supply : The distribution system needs to be strengthened to be able to meet the expected increase in demand, particularly in rural areas, as non-availability of fuel could push people back towards using solid fuels.
· Effective monitoring and grievance redressal systems. The scheme should be accompanied by a focused public relations campaign, to build awareness so that actual usage of LPG can happen.
