Plan to make Bangalore kerosene-free city

The Karnataka government is working on a plan to make Bangalore a "kerosene free" city by offering cooking gas to thousands of poor households as domestic fuel, a minister said Friday.

"We are working out the details of the programme and also talking to the central government on the issue," Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Dinesh Gundurao told reporters here.

He did not say when the plan is expected to take off.

Officials estimate that over 7,000 kilo-litres of kerosene is used per month in Bangalore by the poor families to whom it is sold through the public distribution system.

They also estimate that around 400,000 households in the city use kerosene for cooking.

Gundurao said the switch-over to liquefied petroleum gas would be eco-friendly and also save hours of waiting for kerosene at the ration shops.

He, however, said the government has no intention of making it compulsory for these families to use LPG.