Recent data from the comprehensive annual modular survey released by the national statistical office reveals that while India has made significant strides in water and sanitation access, the adoption of clean cooking fuel remains concurringly low.
While most households in India now have access to toilets and improved drinking water, only 63 per cent use clean cooking fuel, with rural areas significantly lagging behind. The latest government survey highlights disparities in clean energy Axis across states and regions
Recent data from the comprehensive annual modular survey released by the national statistical office reveals that while India has made significant strides in water and sanitation access, the adoption of clean cooking fuel remains concurringly low.
The survey covering the period July 2022 to June 2023 shows that 97.8 per cent of households have toilet facilities and 95.7 per cent have access to improved drinking water sources. However, only 63.4 per cent of households use clean fuel for cooking. The gap between urban and rural areas is stark. While 92.9 per cent of urban households use clean cooking fuel, only 49.5 per cent of rural households do the same. Access to clean drinking water is more evenly distributed, with 94.9 per cent of rural households having access compared to 97.5 per cent in urban areas.
The survey's state-wise breakdown shows considerable variation. Goa leads with 99.2 per cent of households using clean cooking fuel, followed by Sikkim and Telangana (97.2 per cent) and Karnataka (92.5 per cent) in contrast, Jharkhand reports the lowest usage, with only 31.7 per cent of households using clean fuel, followed by Chhattisgarh (36.4 per cent), Odisha (36.8 per cent) and Rajasthan 40.4 per cent.
In response to this ongoing challenge, the government launched the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) in 2016, a flagship programme aimed at providing clean cooking fuels to households that traditionally relied on harmful fuels like firewood, coal and cow dung. Under the scheme the government currently offers subsidy of Rs 300 per 14.2-kg domestic cylinder. The Union Cabinet recently extended the scheme through to
2024-25 and, as of the latest data, there are 103.3 million PMUY beneficiaries. The survey defines a household primary source of energy for cooking as the most frequently used fuel. Clean fuels as classified by the survey include Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), biogas, electricity, including solar or wind-generated power and solar cookers.
The survey, part of the 79th round of the National Sample Survey, collected data on a range of household indicators, including drinking water, sanitation, energy use, birth registration and access to transport. It provides demand-side data directly from households contrasting with administrative data that often reflects supply side matrix.
The report notes that differences in methodology scope and time frames effect comparability between these data sources. It highlights the need for greater efforts to expand clean fuel access particularly in rural areas and states lagging behind to reduce health risk and environmental damage cost imposed by traditional fuels.