Thiruvananthapuram, March 16 Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday sought the Centre's intervention to allow temporary allocation of one additional domestic LPG cylinder to households in the state for a period of two months, in view of the upcoming festival season.
He sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, considering the upcoming festival season, which includes Ramzan, Easter, and Vishu.
In his letter, the CM stated that he was writing to seek the intervention of the Government of India to allow the temporary allocation of one additional domestic LPG cylinder to households in Kerala for a limited period of two months, considering the festival season.
Vijayan noted that Ramzan is a period of intensive religious observance during which Muslim households prepare two cooked meals daily – Sehri (pre-dawn) and Iftar (post-sunset) – in addition to special food preparations associated with Eid al-Fitr, resulting in a significant rise in cooking gas consumption during the fasting month.
He pointed out that Kerala has one of the highest levels of LPG dependence in the country, with over 95 per cent of households relying almost entirely on LPG for cooking.
Muslims constitute about 26.5 per cent of the state's population, and it is estimated that nearly 25 lakh Muslim households depend on domestic LPG connections under regular schemes and the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, he said.
Like most regions in India, Kerala too is facing delays in LPG refill deliveries arising from broader supply constraints affecting the country, including disruptions linked to tensions in West Asia, which have affected LPG imports and tanker movements, the CM said.
He said that the extension of the refill booking interval and the surge in demand during Ramzan have created particular hardship for households observing the fast.
Vijayan further said that this period also coincides with the Easter season for the Christian community and the Vishu festival for the Hindu community in Kerala, both of which traditionally involve extensive cooking and family gatherings.
"The clustering of these major festivals within a short span is therefore expected to significantly increase household demand for cooking gas across communities in the state," he said.
The state government has initiated several administrative measures, including enforcement against diversion of domestic cylinders, monitoring of stock and distribution through a dedicated control mechanism, and prioritisation of essential institutions, he added.
However, given the supply-side constraints, additional support from the Government of India is essential, the chief minister added.
In these circumstances, Vijayan requested that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas may kindly direct the Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited to permit the allocation of one additional domestic LPG cylinder to households in Kerala as a special measure for a period of two months covering the Ramzan, Easter and Vishu festival season.
Such a step would enable families across communities to meet their essential cooking requirements during this important period of religious observance and celebration, he said in the letter.