New Delhi, March 17 : In a bid to lead the clean energy transition, the government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to promote various alternatives to kerosene use, the government said on Monday.

As a cleaner alternative to kerosene for lighting purposes, India has achieved near universal saturation in electricity access through Saubhagya (Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana) and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY), said Minister of State of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Suresh Gopi, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

The initiatives include promote usage of natural gas as fuel/feedstock across the country towards increasing the share of natural gas in economy and moving towards gas-based economy, promotion of renewable and alternate fuels like ethanol, second generation ethanol, compressed bio gas and biodiesel, refinery process improvements, promoting energy efficiency and conservation, efforts for increasing production of oil and natural gas through various policies initiatives, etc.

For promoting the use of Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) as automotive fuel, Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative has also been launched.

With a view to provide access to clean cooking fuel to poor households across the country, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched in May, 2016.

To make LPG more affordable to PMUY consumers and ensure sustained usage of LPG by them, the government started a targeted subsidy of Rs 200 per 14.2 kg cylinder for up to 12 refills per annum (and proportionately pro-rated for 5 Kg connections) to the PMUY consumers in May 2022.

In October 2023, the government increased the targeted subsidy to Rs 300 per 14.2 kg cylinder for up to 12 refills per annum (and proportionately pro-rated for 5 Kg connections).

After a targeted subsidy of Rs 300 per cylinder to PMUY consumers, the government is providing 14.2 Kg LPG cylinders at an effective price of Rs 503 per cylinder (in Delhi). This is available to more than 10.33 crore Ujjwala beneficiaries, across the country.

'As a result of the government's interventions, LPG access in India has improved from 62 per cent in April 2016 to near saturation now,' informed the minister.

/IANS