The UPA Government - which was keen to include kerosene also in its ambitious direct cash subsidy transfer scheme (which already has lPG in its ambit) prior to the forthcoming lok Sabha polls - has faced a setback as out of the nine states and two Union Territories (UTs) which had initially shown interest in it, only three states have the actual database of households that consume the cheap fuel.
In the aftermath of the massive drubbing which the Congress had received in four state assembly elections earlier this month, it was keen to immediately roll out kerosene direct cash subsidy transfer scheme in order to encash its benefits prior to the 2014 lok Sabha polls. However the compilation of data of households consuming kerosene was to be provided by the state governments, and till now only three states - Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Goa - have the actual figures with them to introduce it.
Incidentally two of these states are ruled by the BJP and if the Government plans to go ahead with the roll out, it would require the cooperation of the state governments of Rajasthan and Goa, led by Vasundhara Raje and Manohar Parrikar respectively.
Sources privy to the development told The Pioneer that at the beginning of the current financial year, when the lPG direct benefit transfer scheme was in its initial stages, the Petroleum Ministry had decided to include kerosene also under it. While the Centre has the data of households using lPG cylinders, kerosene being a widely used item it is normally difficult to identify the actual household to which the 'aam admi' fuel is allotted, especially in rural parts of the country.
Therefore the states were asked to provide the data of kerosene households in order to roll out the kerosene direct subsidy transfer as early as possible. Nine states and two UTs had even come forward for this initiative. However eight to nine months down the line, only three states could come up with some credible data on such households. With only three states out of the total 28 states in the country having the data, the numbers, sources added, are too inadequate for the Centre to encash the ambitious roll out prior to general elections.
They further said that inability on parts of the states to come up with the data on kerosene consuming households has jeopardised the roll out of kerosene direct subsidy transfer plans. Though it was not binding on the states to participate in the kerosene direct subsidy scheme, the absolute non participation by them is what seems to have disappointed the Petroleum Ministry.
Official sources said that around Rs 100 crore in total have been given to the three states (Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Goa) for kerosene direct subsidy roll out.
Now as per the plans chalked out by the Petroleum Ministry, seven districts of the three states would witness the roll out of kerosene direct subsidy transfer in the coming few months, though this would not be enough for the Government to send out a clear-cut message to the common man at a time when the lok Sabha elections are just three months away.
The kerosene direct subsidy roll out was launched as a pilot project in Rajasthan's Alwar district some time back, therefore apart from this it would be rolled out in Ajmer and Udaipur districts of the state. Nandarbar (a naxal infested region), Wardha and Amravati are the three districts of Maharashtra where the scheme would be launched, while in Goa it would be North Goa district which has been earmarked for the purpose, sources said.
Kerosene subsidy during the April-December period of 2012-13 was to the tune of Rs 22,000 crore while in the current fiscal the subsidy burden on sale of a litre of kerosene under PDS currently stands at Rs 37.