Still Inadequate

After a directive from the ruling Nepali Congress Central Working Committee and a lot of hue and cry from the consumers, the government decided to increase the quota of subsidised kerosene for a family from three litres to five litres. This is really a commendable decision on the part of the government because the poor consumers who have to rely on kerosene to light their houses and, in some areas, especially the urban centres, to cook their daily meals, are definitely in the majority. However, the new quota of five litres could still be inadequate to meet the kerosene need of the poor urbanites who, due to their low purchasing power, cannot afford other sources of fuel to cook their meals. But how can a seven-member poor family of Metropolitan City manage a whole month with only five litres of subsidised kerosene to cook the meal? Generally a two-member family needs at least 15 litres of kerosene per month to prepare a simple meal.

As such, the concerned authorities should think of further increasing of the quota of the subsidised kerosene for the poor urbanites. For, if the rural people need kerosene only to light their houses, then the poor urbanites need this fuel to prepare daily meals.

Manju Shrestha
Naghal, Kathmandu