Guwahati: Apprehending loss of their means of livelihood and problems for the low-income group, the All Assam Kerosene Dealers Federation urged the state food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department to delay the pilot project to make Assam kerosene-free and provide an alternative to them.

According to the federation, the department has approved a proposal of the director to make Kamrup (metro) district kerosene-free as part of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana which aims to provide LPG connections to BPL households across the country and replace unclean cooking fuel like kerosene with clean and more efficient LPG.

A project to make Kamrup (metro) district kerosene-free from the first week of October was approved by the deputy director of the department through a letter to the director dated September 4.

Following a successful pilot project in the district, the scheme is sought to be extended across Assam.

"The scheme will affect around 365 kerosene dealers in the state and nine dealers in Kamrup (metro) district. Kerosene is a highly essential commodity for cooking and illumination in the absence of LPG and electricity as not every household has gas or electricity connection. The poor have limited access to cooking gas while 24 hours electricity is also not available. Assam is still backward in these respects and more time should be allowed for consumers to convert to LPG. We request an extension of one year," said federation general secretary Snigdha Barua Majumdar.

The kerosene dealers' body also pointed out that many agencies are involved in distribution of kerosene to the end users like oil depots, fair price shops, hawkers and retailers; hence with the decision of the government to ban kerosene, the business of the entire supply chain will be affected.

A scheme for rehabilitation of kerosene dealers through their appointment as wholesaler or stockist of non domestic non exempted or commercial LPG 5kg cylinder was mooted as an alternative, as in other parts of the country.

Inclusion of domestic LPG cylinder in the scheme was also demanded.