Anticipating the energy supply crisis to remain for a long time, the government has stepped up efforts to look for alternative options to limit its impact.
The government on Friday held internal discussions on measures to encourage companies to ramp up production of induction heaters and compatible utensils amid rising demand for these products due to concerns over LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) availability following the West Asia crisis, according to a report by The Economic Times.
The discussion was held among key departments and ministries of the central administration. The meeting was chaired by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and other senior officials were also present, including Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal, Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Lav Agarwal, and Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia.
“We discussed how we can speed up and increase the production of induction heaters and vessels that go on those heaters (utensils like an induction cooker, etc.),” the report quoted a government official as saying.
Amid rising demand for electronic appliances because of the shortage of LPG, the government is looking to ensure that such products remain available in the market until the situation improves.
The sale of induction cooktops and electric kettles has seen a steep rise since the start of the war in West Asia as energy supplies have declined from the region.
About 70 percent of LPG consumption in India comes from households, while the remaining comes from commercial use such as hotels and restaurants.
During the last decade, the country’s LPG consumption has increased by 74 percent, mainly because of the government’s push to shift households from polluting and hazardous fuels to cleaner fuel.
The government is also trying to limit the impact of the war by allowing the use of alternative fuels such as kerosene.
It has allowed distribution of kerosene under the Public Distribution System (PDS) and through select retail outlets of state-owned oil marketing companies.
