Only 30% Karnataka households cook with LPG, majority rely on firewood: Study

The study was conducted before the West Asia war disrupted energy supplies.

Bengaluru: Only about 30% of households in Karnataka cook exclusively with LPG, while the rest still rely partly on firewood despite years of subsidy-driven gas connections, according to a government-backed study conducted before the West Asia war disrupted energy supplies.

The study, published by the state government in March, evaluated the Mukhya Mantri Anila Bhagya Yojane (MMABY), Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s brainchild that countered Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Ujjwala scheme.

Under the first phase, the MMABY reached 98.7% out of the targeted one lakh households.

Each household received an LPG connection, a two-burner stove and the first refill free of cost. The study, done by Bihar-based TransRural Consulting, covered 4,018 beneficiaries in the 2017-2024 period.

Before the scheme, firewood was the predominant source of energy used by 75.5% of households statewide.

After the scheme was rolled out, 29.8% of households reported using LPG as their sole cooking fuel, the study found. “...a majority (66%) continue to practise fuel stacking, combining LPG with firewood. A small share (4.3%) still relies exclusively on firewood, indicating partial transition gaps,” the study said. 

High cost of refills was the “most dominant barrier” reported by 50.3% of households for low exclusive LPG use. “Supply-related issues also play a significant role. Irregular supply of LPG cylinders was reported by 31.8% of the non-exclusive users, making it the second most common barrier,” it said. 

In Kalaburagi, for example, nearly two-thirds of households earn below Rs 5,000 a month. “...such households simply do not have the spare cash to purchase a Rs 1,000–1,200 cylinder more than once or twice a year. Because of this, families ration their LPG, saving it for quick cooking tasks and returning to wood or dung fires for bulk cooking,” the study said. 

The study suggests higher subsidy or additional free refills per year to improve affordability. “To help families with limited cash flow, introduce smaller LPG cylinders (5 kg cylinders) or a system for partial refills that require lower upfront expenditure,” it recommended. 

Unpaid chores

According to the study, 65.9% of respondents reported that their cooking time reduced after adopting LPG. Households reported saving an average of 2.31 hours per day. Monetarily, this was worth Rs 344-353 per day. However, the “time saved” was largely spent on unpaid domestic chores like cleaning and childcare. 

Challenges

The study noted that the state’s scheme did not expand beyond the initial phase “likely due to funding constraints and changes in government priorities”. 

Also, the MMABY was on a collision course with the federal Ujjwala scheme. 

“Unlike other states (Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab) that dovetailed their LPG schemes with (Ujjwala) through oil marketing companies, Karnataka attempted to distribute connections directly via local LPG dealers,” the study said. “This unilateral method prompted federal objections and fears of ‘large-scale chaos’ in the field. The misalignment delayed approvals and created operational confusion, slowing the scheme’s initial progress,” it said.