Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has sought for an increase in the kerosene allocation to the state availed through the public distribution system (PDS) in letters he has written to the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman and Petroleum, Natural Gas and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
In 2011, the allotment of kerosene through PDS was 52,806 kilolitre (KL). After 19 reductions, it now stands at 10,764 KL. The allocation to the state this year has been reduced by close to 6,000 KL from last year.
“The monthly allocation of PDS kerosene till June 2019 was 16,148 KL which is much lesser than the restricted requirement of 23,035 KL. Now from July 2019 the monthly allocation has been communicated as 10,764 KL which is a further reduction of 33.34% of last month's allocation,” the CM wrote in his letter. This reduction would affect the 51,80,717 families who do not have any LPG connection and 74,92,535 families who have only a single LPG connection.
The letters, which were sent on August 27, point out that the quantity of kerosene allocated to the state has been in a steady decline since 2011 despite the state repeatedly writing to the Centre about its minimum requirement.
Pointing out that the Centre does not provide kerosene to LPG holders, the CM wrote that in the state of Tamil Nadu, kerosene is allocated to those without LPG connections and for those with a single LPG connection.
Presently, with the available restricted quantity, those without LPG connection are allotted 3 litres per month while those with 1 LPG connection can avail only 1 litre per month.
“The cardholders having single LPG cylinder connection, who were originally entitled for three litres of kerosene will be deprived of their quota with the present allotment and will have to be left uncatered as the present allotment is not sufficient even to provide for zero cylinder card holders,” reads the letter.
The CM requested the Centre to revise the present allocation of kerosene and provide at least the restricted requirement of 23,035 KL as monthly allocation to the state for uninterrupted supply of kerosene under PDS.