After China, India is world’s 2nd largest LPG consumer

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 5

Emphasising that the government is on course to achieve its target of distributing 8 crore cooking gas connections under its flagship Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna (PMUY), Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan today said the country has become the second largest consumer of LPG in the world on account of it.

“In January this year, LPG connections under the PMUY have crossed the 6-crore mark. The coverage of LPG in the country has now reached 90% rising from about 55% in 2014… We are confident of reaching out target of 8 crore connections”, the Minister said at the Asia LPG Summit organised jointly by oil marking companies — Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum – with the World LPG Association (WLPGA) here.

The country, he said, emerged as a bright spot on account of the success of the scheme that is aimed at empowering women by facilitating clean cooking fuel and also life of health and dignity.

The government’s push to provide clean cooking fuel to every household has turned India into the world’s second largest LPG consumer whose demand is projected to rise 34% by 2025, Oil Secretary MM Kutty said.

Under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) of providing free cooking gas (LPG) connections to poor, over 6.31 crore connections have been provided since the launch of the scheme on May 1, 2016.

Over 6.31-cr connections given under PMUY

• Active LPG consumers have grown at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15% — from 14.8 crore in 2014-15 to 22.4 crore in 2017-18 

• Rapid increase in population combined with LPG penetration in rural areas has resulted in an average growth of 8.4% in LPG consumption

• As per Oil Ministry’s projections, LPG consumption is expected to grow to 30.3 million tonnes by 2025 and 40.6 million tonnes by 2040