Tamil Nadu’s request for additional subsidized kerosene for distribution through PDS shops has been declined by the central government. The Union government argues that more than 100% of households in the state, totaling 2.27 crore households, have LPG connections. In contrast, the state government asserts that 30 lakh households in Tamil Nadu still lack LPG connections. The Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), in response to an RTI query, reported that the LPG coverage in Tamil Nadu is at 102.9%, with 2.2 crore households and 2.27 crore domestic LPG connections.
The determination of households for each state is based on the decadal population growth between 2001 and 2011, according to the 2011 census. The IOCL cited this methodology in explaining the 102.9% LPG coverage. The Union Petroleum Ministry allocates kerosene to states based on factors like LPG coverage, rural electrification, and lapsed quota. This kerosene supply has been rationalized across India since 2010-11. As a result, Tamil Nadu currently receives only 2,700 kilolitres (KL) per month, a substantial reduction from the average allocation of 12,700 KL per month it received in 2019-20. Consequently, residents in rural and hilly regions of the state receive limited amounts of kerosene, typically one to two liters per month.
The civil supplies department has made efforts to distribute the available kerosene among needy cardholders, particularly in rural and hilly areas where kerosene remains a crucial source for cooking. It is supplied through the PDS to cardholders who lack LPG connections or have just a single LPG cylinder. The amount of kerosene provided varies from three to 15 liters per month, depending on the location. Despite the IOCL and HPCL serving 28 lakh BPL families under the PM Ujjwala Yojana, the supply of kerosene to single-cylinder cardholders in Chennai city has significantly reduced, and some residents have reported a cessation of kerosene distribution from ration shops.
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