The Tamil Nadu government had put in a request to the Centre asking for additional subsidized kerosene for distribution through PDS shops. The Centre has rejected the request stating that 2.27 crore households (more than 100% households in the state) have LPG connections.
Now, the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) in response to an RTI query, has stated that LPG coverage in Tamil Nadu is at 102.9 %. That is to say that are 2.2 crore households in Tamil Nadu and there are 2.27 crore domestic LPG connections in the state. The state government had however said that 30 lakh households did not have LPG connections.
The IOCL cited the methodology on the determination of households in every state. The IOCL said, “The estimated number of households for every state is arrived at based on the decadal population growth between 2001 and 2011 as per the 2011 census. As per this methodology, Tamil Nadu’s LPG coverage stands at 102.9 %.”
In April this year, the DMK government had stated that the Tamil Nadu had 30 lakh families without LPG connections and 9,000 kilo litres of kerosene a month was required (estimated as per three litres per person). The allocation of kerosene to the state was 59,852 kl a month in 2006, 12,700 kl a month in 2019, but now was reduced to 2,712 kl a month.
Food minister R Sakkarapani had said in April, “When the issue was taken up, Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas, Rameswar Teli, responded saying that allocation was reduced because the state has high LPG
connections.”
Currently, the kerosene received in the state is distributed through the PDS system to around 17 to 20 lakh cardholders who live in the hilly areas as they still rely on kerosene for cooking.
