Transition to LPG for cooking: A case study from two states of India

Abstract

This study uses 810 households data collected from two states of India-Raipur district in Chhattisgarh State and Ranchi in Jharkhand- to analyse the LPG cooking transition. Most of the available studies for the South Asia region and particularly for India had mainly focused on the access aspect of clean cooking in terms of fuel or stove. In this study, we particularly focus on the household transition to clean cooking fuel (LPG) in terms of its usage. Using the Tobit regression model for censored data the study highlights the socioeconomic and other factors that may influence LPG transition. The study finds that there could be common as well as location specific factors driving LPG transition. Income linkages with LPG usage may be weak in regions with high prevalence of home produced or collected solid fuel consumption. Duration of LPG acquisition, considered in the study as a factor of behavioural aspect, has emerged as an important variable promoting LPG transition over time. The analysis suggests that LPG capital subsidy scheme, PMUY, has provided a trigger for LPG transition among beneficiary households. Increasing the share of LPG in monthly cooking fuel may require good LPG services such as doorstep delivery.