Jamnagar: More than 1.60 lakh residents of Jamnagar district in Gujarat have benefited from the LPG Free Cylinder Assistance Scheme in the past year, state Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Bhikhusinhji Parmar said in the Assembly on Friday.
The scheme is aimed at promoting clean cooking fuel and reducing health risks for women.
As of December 31, 2024, a total of 1,60,765 beneficiaries have received assistance under the scheme. In the first quarter (April-June 2024), 79,429 beneficiaries availed the free cylinders, while in the second quarter (October–December 2024), the number rose to 81,336. The scheme was launched to combat the adverse health effects caused by smoke from traditional cooking fuels like firewood and dung cakes.
By encouraging the use of LPG, the state government aims to improve indoor air quality and enhance the well-being of rural households.
According to official records, 96,601 beneficiaries were registered under the scheme in Jamnagar district in 2024. So far, the government has disbursed a Rs7.81 crore subsidy in the current financial year to support the initiative. In 2018, the state’s LPG consumption reached 1,041 thousand tonnes, up from 971 thousand tonnes in the previous year.
However, in 2022, Gujarat’s natural gas consumption was recorded at 1,290 million cubic meters, marking a decline from 3,191 million cubic meters in 2021. Despite this fluctuation, Gujarat continues to have one of the highest per capita natural gas consumption rates in India, standing at 191 kilograms of oil equivalent (kgoe), significantly surpassing the national average of 39 kgoe.
The industrial sector in Gujarat has witnessed a shift in fuel preference due to fluctuating prices.
Between April 2021 and December 2022, bulk LPG prices rose from Rs 52.83 per kg to Rs 60.15 per kg, while natural gas prices surged from Rs 40.45 per kg to Rs 71.95 per kg. This substantial increase in natural gas costs has driven many industrial consumers, especially in regions like Morbi, to transition from natural gas to LPG as a more viable alternative.
(IANS)
