Gujarat feels singled out as Centre cuts kerosene quota by 32%

The Gujarat government has come down heavily on the Centre’s decision to curtail its kerosene quota by 32.19 per cent with effect from June 1, terming the move “bias against the poor and bias against Gujarat”.

The state’s monthly quota of kerosene for distribution under the public distribution system (PDS) has been slashed from 76,712 kilolitres (KL) in 2010-11 to 52,020 KL in June.

“If the state government had any other option, it would have considered that. However, kerosene being a highly subsidised item allotted in a certain quota by the central government, the only way is backwards. While we have asked the Centre to rectify the move, the real question is why such a discrimination against Gujarat and the poor in Gujarat?” asked Jaynarayan Vyas, spokesperson, Gujarat government.

The allocation of kerosene quota to states for distribution through fair price shops under the PDS is decided by the Centre. During 2004-05 to 2008-09, Gujarat was allotted a monthly quota of 79,644 KL. The quota was reduced by 0.02 per cent to 79,488 KL in July 2009, and by another 3.5 per cent to 76,712 KL from 2010-11.

According to the state government, some other states witnessed a cut in their kerosene quota too. These states included Rajasthan (0.03 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (0.08 per cent), Haryana (10.64 per cent), Andhra Pradesh (13.11 per cent) and Kerala (14.84 per cent). However, the cut in the quota of Gujarat was the highest.

Though the Union government has been reducing the kerosene quota of states in accordance with the number of fresh LPG connections given, the issue has taken a political colour, with the Gujarat government spokesperson saying the decision would hit housewives. “Ironically, the decision was taken by the Delhi durbar, which is headed by a woman as its supreme leader,” he said.

Nationally, kerosene consumption has been coming down. According to figures released by the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell, kerosene consumption fell by 4 per cent to about 8.9 million tonnes (mt) in 2010-11 from 9.3 mt in 2009-10.

Vyas said the Centre continued to force Gujarat in the matter of buying imported natural gas from Petronet LNG at Rs 8.35 per unit, while allocating natural gas at administered prices according to the KG basin formula to Congress-led states like Maharashtra and Delhi and metros like Mumbai.

He said the central government’s decision smacked of political vendetta that was likely to boomerang in case the women scorned reacted likewise.