22.7.16

Bengaluru may soon be free of kerosene


The country's IT capital Bengaluru may soon become South India's first `kerosene-free' city . Delhi and Chandigarh are the only other cities in India that no longer use kerosene.
The government is now planning to phase out kerosene across the entire state. As of now, about 15% of the city's households and 35% of households in other urban areas in the state are using kerosene for cooking and other purposes.Karnataka is among the few states that have opted to reduce the PDS kerosene quota to 90,000 kilolitres against a sanctioned 5.09 lakh kilolitres from the Centre, which resulted in the state gaining Rs 75 crore in additional central funds. “We've sent a proposal to the Centre seeking LPG connection for all card holders using kerosene in Bengaluru. If this is approved, Bengaluru can become kerosene-free in one to two months from the date of sanction,“ said commissioner for food and supplies department, Harsh Gupta.
With below poverty line (BPL) households often turning to kerosene owing to insufficient LPG supply , the government is working on a proposal to provide them with additional cylinders. “Additional LPG cylinders will be allotted to each BPL family to ensure that the state becomes kerosene free at the earliest,“ said food and civil supplies minister UT Khader.
Apart from reducing pollution, health hazards that kerosene poses is being cited as the reason behind the government's decision. The Centre's Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana has given a fillip to the government's endeavour to make the state free of kerosene.

No comments: