What Happened
- The Indian government has temporarily reintroduced kerosene for household cooking use and permitted coal, biomass, and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) pellets as alternate fuels for hotels and restaurants.
- The trigger: the West Asia conflict (2026) has disrupted energy supply through the Strait of Hormuz, cutting access to over 55% of India's LPG imports and approximately 30% of its LNG imports.
- States have been allocated 48,000 kilolitres of additional kerosene — on top of the regular monthly PDS quota of approximately 1 lakh kilolitres — specifically for household cooking needs.
- The minimum LPG cylinder refill interval has been increased to 25 days (urban) and 45 days (rural) to manage reduced supply.
- Environmental regulators have been asked to grant one-month permission for hotels and restaurants to use biomass, RDF pellets, and coal as alternate fuels.
- The return of kerosene is a significant policy reversal: Delhi was officially declared India's first kerosene-free city in 2014, and the PMUY scheme (2016) had been systematically replacing kerosene with LPG across the country.
Static Topic Bridges
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) and Clean Cooking Fuel
The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched on May 1, 2016, to provide free LPG connections to women from Below Poverty Line (BPL) households. It aimed to replace traditional cooking fuels (kerosene, firewood, cow dung) with clean LPG, reducing household air pollution and its health burden — particularly for women and children. The International Energy Agency called PMUY "a game-changer in ending energy poverty."
- PMUY Phase 1 target: 5 crore (50 million) LPG connections.
- PMUY 2.0 (expanded): includes one free stove and first refill.
- Total PMUY beneficiaries: over 10.33 crore as of November 2024.
- Government financial support per connection: ₹1,600 (covers cylinder, pressure regulator, booklet, safety hose).
- FY26 approvals: 25 lakh additional deposit-free connections at ₹676 crore cost.
- Delhi declared first kerosene-free city: June 17, 2014.
Connection to this news: The temporary return of kerosene directly reverses the progress made by PMUY. The crisis exposes PMUY's vulnerability: LPG dependency works only when global LPG supply chains (particularly from West Asia) remain uninterrupted.
Strait of Hormuz and India's Energy Vulnerability
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman — the world's most critical oil and energy transit chokepoint. It is approximately 33 km wide at its narrowest point. Over one-quarter of global seaborne oil trade and one-fifth of global LNG trade transits this strait. India is the second-largest destination for Hormuz crude flows (14.7% of total), after China.
- India imports more than 85% of its crude oil requirements (~5.5 million barrels/day).
- Strait of Hormuz historically carried: ~55% of India's LPG imports, ~30% of LNG imports, ~40% of crude oil imports.
- Any Hormuz blockade raises global oil prices and triggers supply rationing in import-dependent nations.
- India has limited strategic petroleum reserves (SPR): approximately 5.33 million metric tonnes across Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru, and Padur.
- India is the world's 3rd largest oil importer after China and the USA.
Connection to this news: The Hormuz closure triggered India's emergency fuel management measures directly. The kerosene and coal reintroduction are the downstream consequences of India's single-point vulnerability in cooking fuel supply.
Public Distribution System (PDS) and Kerosene Allocation
The Public Distribution System is India's food and essential commodities safety net, managed jointly by the Centre and States under the National Food Security Act, 2013. Kerosene was historically distributed through Fair Price Shops (ration shops) under the PDS for cooking and lighting. The government has been progressively reducing kerosene allocation through the Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG (DBTL) scheme, replacing subsidised kerosene with LPG cylinders. The return of additional PDS kerosene is a reversal of this policy direction.
- Regular monthly PDS kerosene quota: approximately 1 lakh kilolitres nationally.
- Additional emergency allocation announced: 48,000 kilolitres.
- PDS kerosene price was heavily subsidised (₹15–17/litre in many states vs. market price ₹70–80/litre).
- Kerosene produces toxic indoor air pollution when burnt — linked to respiratory disease and eye ailments.
- WHO estimates household air pollution from cooking fuels causes approximately 3.8 million premature deaths globally per year.
- DBTL (Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG) scheme: cash subsidy transferred directly to LPG consumer bank accounts.
Connection to this news: The emergency kerosene distribution uses existing PDS infrastructure — ration shops and state food departments — demonstrating that the old distribution network remains available even as policy moved away from kerosene.
Key Facts & Data
- Additional emergency kerosene allocation: 48,000 kilolitres.
- Regular monthly PDS kerosene quota: approximately 1 lakh kilolitres.
- LPG refill interval extended: 25 days (urban), 45 days (rural).
- Coal/biomass permit for hotels and restaurants: one month (emergency environmental clearance).
- PMUY beneficiaries: 10.33 crore+ as of November 2024.
- PMUY launched: May 1, 2016.
- Delhi declared kerosene-free: June 17, 2014.
- Strait of Hormuz share in India's energy imports: ~55% LPG, ~30% LNG, ~40% crude oil (pre-crisis).
- India's Strategic Petroleum Reserve capacity: approximately 5.33 MMT across 3 underground rock cavern facilities.
- WHO: household air pollution from solid fuels causes ~3.8 million premature deaths/year globally.