Clean cooking refers to the use of modern, efficient, and environmentally friendly technologies and fuels for cooking, especially in households and communities.
The aim of clean cooking is to replace traditional and often harmful cooking methods, such as using solid fuels like wood, coal, or biomass, with cleaner and more sustainable alternatives.
Over the last 15 years, the Government of India has aimed to replicate the success of LPG adoption in urban households in poorer and rural households.
The Grameen Vitrak Yojana launched in 2009 increased the rural distributor base of LPG from 18% to 60% of the total distributor base.
The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) provided over 9.5 crore new households with LPG connections since 2016, achieving near-universal coverage of LPG.
For the first time in FY23, LPG consumption in Indian households saw an absolute reduction of 0.5% compared to FY22.
The challenge now is to explore other options beyond subsidizing LPG to further improve adoption in rural areas.
A CEEW survey showed that the share of Indian households using LPG as the primary cooking fuel increased from 33% in 2011 to 71% in 2020.
Global events, including the COVID-19 pandemic and volatility in crude and product prices, have impacted the prospect of universal use of LPG in Indian households.
Efforts have been made to promote LPG consumption, but issues with home delivery and distribution channels persist.
India's dependence on imported LPG has increased to over 64% in FY23, and domestic budget reliance on petroleum taxation makes it difficult to sustain LPG subsidies.
To address the challenge, India's clean cooking policy must pivot towards adopting a suite of clean-cooking technologies beyond LPG-only strategy.
Electric cooking, including induction cook-tops, can be a viable alternative to flame-based cooking, especially in rural households with access to electricity.
Transitioning to electric cooking may require support and incentives to encourage adoption, including investment in domestic manufacturing for e-cooking technologies.
The debate should shift from LPG subsidy alone to financing and business models that value India's clean cooking transition for its climate and clean air benefits.
The adoption of diverse clean-cooking technologies can help reduce dependence on imported LPG, promote clean air, and contribute to climate mitigation efforts.
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