New Delhi:
Delhi is set to become the first kerosene-free city with the government launching a scheme on 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.
Ms 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.
Ms Dikshit will launch the scheme on Tuesday and 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.