**Executive Summary**
This document outlines the response from the Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying to questions raised in Lok Sabha regarding the distribution of non-subsidized Public Distribution System (PDS) kerosene. It clarifies the role of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP&NG) in kerosene allocation and details changes in policy and allocation amounts, particularly for the State of Kerala. The document includes data on state-wise allocations of non-subsidized kerosene from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Nodal Ministry:**
* The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP&NG) is the nodal ministry responsible for PDS Kerosene allocation.
* **Rationalization and PDS Kerosene-Free States/UTs:**
* PDS Kerosene allocation to States/UTs, including Kerala, has been rationalized since 2010-11, considering the polluting nature of kerosene.
* 21 States/UTs have become PDS Kerosene-free.
* **Allocation Policy:**
* Until FY 2024-25, the Government allocated PDS Kerosene to States/UTs on a quarterly basis for cooking and lighting.
* States/UTs were empowered to draw one month's quota of PDS Kerosene at Non-Subsidized rates for special needs.
* Distribution criteria were determined by respective State/UT.
* A new "PDS Kerosene Allocation Policy" for 2025-26 to 2027-28 has been formulated after stakeholder consultations.
* Allocation is now under a single category "PDS SKO" on a quarterly basis.
* States have the liberty to sub-allocate PDS SKO for various needs based on their requirements.
* **Kerala Specifics:**
* For the year 2025-26, Kerala has been allocated 22704 KL PDS SKO, which is a 319.78% increase compared to the 4368 KL allocated for 2024-25.
* Kerala has a lapse of kerosene allocation for Quarter 1, with potential for upliftment till 31.12.2025 for Quarter 3.
* **Data:**
* Annexure provides the State-wise distribution of Non-Subsidized PDS Kerosene from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder:** State Governments / Union Territories
**Impact:**
* Changes in kerosene allocation policies affect the amounts available for distribution.
* States/UTs have increased autonomy in sub-allocating kerosene for various needs based on local requirements.
**Action Required:**
* States/UTs must adapt to the new "PDS Kerosene Allocation Policy" for 2025-26 to 2027-28.
* States/UTs need to determine and implement their distribution criteria for PDS SKO.
* Kerala specifically needs to manage the upliftment of their allocation for the remaining quarters of 2025-26.
**Stakeholder:** Fishermen Community in Kerala
**Impact:**
* The new allocation policy is intended to address the shortage of kerosene, which previously impacted the livelihoods of traditional fishermen.
* The increased allocation for Kerala in 2025-26 suggests potential improvement in kerosene availability.
**Action Required:**
* No action required from fishermen community directly, but they are beneficiaries of improved kerosene allocation management by the government of Kerala.
Key Entities Referenced
Public Distribution System (PDS) Kerosene: The main subject of the document, focusing on its distribution (subsidized and non-subsidized), allocation policies, and related statistics across states/UTs.
Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP&NG): The nodal ministry responsible for PDS Kerosene allocation policy and its implementation across India.
Kerala: A specific State called out within India due to concerns about kerosene shortage affecting fishermen and the impact of allocation policies.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2590
TO BE ANSWERED ON 16TH DECEMBER, 2025
Distribution of non-subsidised PDS Kerosene
2590. Shri Shafi Parambil:
Will the Minister of FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING be
pleased to state:
(a) the details of the total kerosene distributed in the fisheries sector through non-
subsidised Public Distribution System (PDS) during the last five years, State-wise;
(b) the criteria for allotting the total kerosene distributed for the fisheries sector
through non-subsidised PDS in each State;
(c) whether the low quantity of kerosene distributed to each State is due to
shortage of kerosene in the country;
(d) if so, whether the Government has identified any solution to address the
extreme shortage of kerosene that had already affected the livelihood of the traditional
fishermen community in the State of Kerala; and
(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
(SHRI RAJIV RANJAN SINGH ALIAS LALAN SINGH)
(a) to (e): The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP&NG) being the nodal
Ministry in the subject matter has informed that PDS Kerosene allocation to
States/UTs including Kerala have been rationalized since 2010-11 considering the
polluting nature of the Kerosene. Till date, 21 States/UTs have become PDS
Kerosene free.
The MoP&NG has further informed that till FY 2024-25, Government was
allocating Public Distribution System (PDS) Kerosene to States/UTs including Kerala
on quarterly basis for cooking and lighting purpose. Vide order dated 21st August,
2012, the Government of India had empowered States/UTs to draw allocation of one
month’s quota of PDS Kerosene at Non-Subsidized rates during each financial year
for special needs such as natural calamities, religious functions, fisheries, various
yatras etc. Scale, criteria, modalities etc. of distribution to end customers were also
determined by respective State/UT. The details of PDS Non Subsidized SKO
allocated to States/UTs during last five years are given at Annexure.The MoP&NG has also informed that, Government of India has formulated a new
“PDS Kerosene Allocation Policy” for the period 2025-26 to 2027-28 after
stakeholder’s consultation including the Government of Kerala. As per the Policy, the
allocation is made to States/UTs under single category “PDS SKO” on quarterly basis
for cooking & lighting and for special needs. Further, the States have liberty to sub-
allocate PDS SKO for cooking and lighting or for special needs (fisheries, mela,
exhibitions, pandemic, calamity etc.) based on their specific requirement. Distribution
of PDS SKO within State/UT under PDS network is carried out by concerned
State/UT. Scale and Criteria of distribution is, accordingly, also decided by respective
State/UT.
The MoP&NG has informed that under the new policy, the State of Kerala has been
allocated 22704 KL PDS SKO for the year 2025-26 as against the total allocation
PDS (Subsidized and Non-Subsidised) SKO of 4368 KL for the year 2024-25 which
reflects an increase of 319.78%. The details of quantity of PDS SKO allocated,
uplifted and lapsed till 3rd quarter, 2025-26 by the State of Kerala is as under:
Fig. in KL
Quarter, 2025-26 Allocation Upliftment lapse
Q1 5676 924 4752
Q2 5676 5580 96
Q3 5676 The State can uplift till 31.12.2025Annexure
Statement referred in part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2590 for
answer on 16th December, 2025 regarding ‘Distribution of non-subsidised PDS
Kerosene’:
SL. Name of the
2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 Total
No. State/UT
Andaman & Nicobar
1 156 0 0 0 0 156
Islands
2 Andhra Pradesh 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Arunachal Pradesh 528 396 276 240 168 1608
4 Assam 15156 12960 10368 8292 4152 50928
5 Bihar 21912 17724 14184 10632 5316 69768
6 Chandigarh 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Chhattisgarh 6864 4848 3876 2904 1380 19872
Dadra & Nagar
8 Haveli and Daman 0 0 0 0 0 0
& Diu
9 Delhi 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 Goa 60 24 24 12 0 120
11 Gujarat 11568 6996 4644 2088 0 25296
12 Haryana 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Himachal Pradesh 948 816 564 336 168 2832
Jammu and
14 3744 3744 3180 2544 1272 14484
Kashmir
15 Jharkhand 11268 7500 6000 4500 2244 31512
16 Karnataka 8822 10620 9172 2684 732 32030
17 Kerala 15108 21888 7160 3300 1248 48704
18 Ladakh 288 288 288 228 120 1212
19 Lakshadweep 60 60 48 36 24 228
20 Madhya Pradesh 21720 17784 13332 9996 2736 65568
21 Maharashtra 8868 3876 2328 1392 624 17088
22 Manipur 1104 924 828 744 372 3972
23 Meghalaya 1596 1572 1416 1272 888 6744
24 Mizoram 300 264 240 216 108 1128
25 Nagaland 768 708 636 576 408 3096
26 Odisha 17544 16188 12948 9708 4320 60708
27 Puducherry 0 0 0 0 0 0
28 Punjab 0 0 0 0 0 0
29 Rajasthan 3324 1176 0 0 0 4500
30 Sikkim 204 180 168 144 72 768
31 Tamil Nadu 12108 10764 7536 4512 2712 37632
32 Telangana 4716 1332 408 120 36 6612
33 Tripura 2196 2088 1884 1692 1188 9048
34 Uttar Pradesh 43152 15132 55 0 0 58339
35 Uttrakhand 660 180 48 12 0 900
36 West Bengal 58668 58668 58668 38556 51276 265836
Total 273410 218700 160279 106736 81564 840689
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