FUELLING A CLEAN FUTURE

India's transition to piped cooking gas has redefined energy distribution, offering a safer, more efficient alternative to LPG cylinders and polluting fuels

- ANILESH S. MAHAJAN

THE DRUDGERY

The daily struggle of managing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders was once a defining feature of urban households in India. From booking to handling, storing and ensuring timely replacements, the process was fraught with inefficiencies. As a net importer of LPG, India's reliance on a sprawling distributor network often revealed gaps in the supply chain. Delays, hoarding, corruption and rationing-typically restricted to one cylinder per 45 days-were widespread, leaving rural and remote areas underserved. These inefficiencies discouraged oil marketing companies (OMCs) from expanding into difficult terrains, forcing many to rely on polluting alternatives like kerosene, coal, firewood and agricultural waste for cooking. The complex subsidy structure, with colour-coded cylinders for residential and commercial use, added to the challenges, fostering systemic corruption and draining the exchequer.

PAPINDER KAUR, 46

Homemaker, Kalkaji Extension, Delhi

HOW IT TRANSFORMED MY LIFE

"Life is much easier now"

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