Lok Sabha Question No. 4596 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-22
Subject: Use of Traditional Biomass for Cooking
Ministry: NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
Asked by: B.V. NAYAK, S.P. MUDDAHANUMEGOWDA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-4596

TO BE ANSWERED ON-22.03.2018

## USE OF TRADITIONAL BIOMASS FOR COOKING

## 4596. SHRI B.V.NAIK

SHRI S. P. MUDDAHANUME GOWDA

Will the Minister of NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether a large population of the county still uses traditional biomass for cooking;
- (b) if, so, the number of households still dependent on biomass for cooking, state wise;
- (c) whether the use of biomass for cooking is a cause of indoor air pollution;
- (d) if, so, the details of deaths caused due to indoor air pollution during the last three years, year and State-wise; and
- (e) the steps taken by Government to reduce the dependence of households on biomass and the progress made  therein so far ?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND POWER (I/C) (SHRI R.K. SINGH)

- (a) & (b) As per Census 2011, about 65.9% of households depend on solid biomass, including firewood, crop residue and cow dung as primary fuel for cooking in India. State-wise details of households using traditional biomass for cooking are given in Annexure.
- (c) & (d) The use of traditional biomass for cooking through simple traditional cook stove is a cause of indoor air pollution due to incomplete  combustion of biomass which produces a range of toxic products. No conclusive data is available across the country to establish direct co-relationship of death exclusively with indoor air pollution.
- (e) The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is already implementing various programmes with a view to provide alternate cooking solutions which would help in reducing dependence of traditional biomass cooking. These include:
- i. The  Unnat  Chulha  Abhiyan  programme  launched  in  June  2014  for  promotion  of improved biomass cook stove in the country for providing a clean cooking energy solution with a view to reduce consumption of fuel wood with higher efficiency and low emissions. So  far  36,940  family  type  and  849  community  type  improved  cook  stoves  have  been distributed.
- ii. National  Biogas  and  Manure  Management Programme (NBMMP) for setting up of family  type  household  biogas  plants  for  meeting  cooking  energy  needs  of  rural  and  semiurban areas and to save the use of firewood. About 49.6 lakh family type biogas plants have been installed in the country so far.
- iii. Promoting  solar  cookers  to  reduce  the  indoor  air  pollution.  About  7.05  lakh  solar cookers have been distributed / sold through the State Government so far.
- iv. Pradhan Matri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)  implemented by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas aims to safeguard the health of women & children by providing them with clean cooking fuel through LPG. Under this scheme, 8 crore new LPG connections will be provided to womens belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families upto 2020. More than 3.45 crore connection have been given under PMUY since the launch of the Scheme.

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) & (b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4596 for 22.03.2018 regarding 'Use of Traditional Biomass for Cooking'

## State-wise details of households using traditional biomass for cooking (Source: Census 2011)

|                                 |                                                              | %Distribution of households by type of fuel used for cooking   | %Distribution of households by type of fuel used for cooking   | %Distribution of households by type of fuel used for cooking   | %Distribution of households by type of fuel used for cooking   |
|---------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
| India/ State/ Union Territory # | Total No. of Households (Excluding institutional households) | Firewood                                                       | Crop residue                                                   | Cow dung cake                                                  | Coal, Lignite, Charcoal                                        |
| INDIA                           | 246,692,667                                                  | 49.0                                                           | 8.9                                                            | 8.0                                                            | 1.5                                                            |
| Jammu &Kashmir                  | 2,015,088                                                    | 58.9                                                           | 2.5                                                            | 4.2                                                            | 0.0                                                            |
| Himachal Pradesh                | 1,476,581                                                    | 57.5                                                           | 1.1                                                            | 0.2                                                            | 0.0                                                            |
| Punjab                          | 5,409,699                                                    | 13.4                                                           | 6.5                                                            | 20.4                                                           | 0.2                                                            |
| Chandigarh #                    | 235,061                                                      | 4.6                                                            | 0.3                                                            | 0.2                                                            | 0.1                                                            |
| Uttarakhand                     | 1,997,068                                                    | 48.7                                                           | 1.3                                                            | 3.2                                                            | 0.1                                                            |
| Haryana                         | 4,717,954                                                    | 26.1                                                           | 14.1                                                           | 14.2                                                           | 0.1                                                            |
| NCT of Delhi #                  | 3,340,538                                                    | 3.4                                                            | 0.3                                                            | 0.6                                                            | 0.1                                                            |
| Rajasthan                       | 12,581,303                                                   | 61.8                                                           | 11.0                                                           | 3.0                                                            | 0.1                                                            |
| Uttar Pradesh                   | 32,924,266                                                   | 47.7                                                           | 8.7                                                            | 23.1                                                           | 0.3                                                            |
| Bihar                           | 18,940,629                                                   | 34.7                                                           | 32.5                                                           | 21.7                                                           | 1.0                                                            |
| Sikkim                          | 128,131                                                      | 52.5                                                           | 0.6                                                            | 0.2                                                            | 0.1                                                            |
| Arunachal Pradesh               | 261,614                                                      | 68.7                                                           | 0.7                                                            | 0.1                                                            | 0.0                                                            |
| Nagaland                        | 399,965                                                      | 77.9                                                           | 0.8                                                            | 0.1                                                            | 0.0                                                            |
| Manipur                         | 507,152                                                      | 65.7                                                           | 1.1                                                            | 0.2                                                            | 2.1                                                            |
| Mizoram                         | 221,077                                                      | 44.5                                                           | 0.3                                                            | 0.1                                                            | 0.4                                                            |
| Tripura                         | 842,781                                                      | 80.5                                                           | 0.8                                                            | 0.1                                                            | 0.1                                                            |
| Meghalaya                       | 538,299                                                      | 79.0                                                           | 0.9                                                            | 0.3                                                            | 2.3                                                            |
| Assam                           | 6,367,295                                                    | 72.1                                                           | 6.4                                                            | 0.9                                                            | 0.1                                                            |
| West Bengal                     | 20,067,299                                                   | 33.1                                                           | 25.6                                                           | 10.0                                                           | 7.9                                                            |
| Jharkhand                       | 6,181,607                                                    | 57.6                                                           | 4.0                                                            | 7.2                                                            | 18.1                                                           |

|                                 |                                                              | %Distribution of households by type of fuel used for cooking   | %Distribution of households by type of fuel used for cooking   | %Distribution of households by type of fuel used for cooking   | %Distribution of households by type of fuel used for cooking   |
|---------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
| India/ State/ Union Territory # | Total No. of Households (Excluding institutional households) | Firewood                                                       | Crop residue                                                   | Cow dung cake                                                  | Coal, Lignite, Charcoal                                        |
| Odisha                          | 9,661,085                                                    | 65.0                                                           | 10.2                                                           | 9.4                                                            | 1.6                                                            |
| Chhattisgarh                    | 5,622,850                                                    | 80.8                                                           | 0.9                                                            | 3.7                                                            | 2.3                                                            |
| Madhya Pradesh                  | 14,967,597                                                   | 66.4                                                           | 5.6                                                            | 7.7                                                            | 0.2                                                            |
| Gujarat                         | 12,181,718                                                   | 44.0                                                           | 5.7                                                            | 2.6                                                            | 0.5                                                            |
| Daman &Diu #                    | 60,381                                                       | 10.8                                                           | 1.5                                                            | 0.2                                                            | 0.2                                                            |
| Dadra &Nagar Haveli #           | 73,063                                                       | 40.4                                                           | 0.4                                                            | 0.2                                                            | 0.1                                                            |
| Maharashtra                     | 23,830,580                                                   | 42.6                                                           | 4.5                                                            | 1.2                                                            | 0.2                                                            |
| Andhra Pradesh                  | 21,024,534                                                   | 56.8                                                           | 1.4                                                            | 0.6                                                            | 0.3                                                            |
| Karnataka                       | 13,179,911                                                   | 57.5                                                           | 2.9                                                            | 0.2                                                            | 0.1                                                            |
| Goa                             | 322,813                                                      | 20.7                                                           | 0.9                                                            | 0.2                                                            | 0.1                                                            |
| Lakshadweep #                   | 10,703                                                       | 54.8                                                           | 10.7                                                           | 0.1                                                            | 0.1                                                            |
| Kerala                          | 7,716,370                                                    | 61.9                                                           | 0.8                                                            | 0.1                                                            | 0.1                                                            |
| Tamil Nadu                      | 18,493,003                                                   | 43.5                                                           | 0.6                                                            | 0.2                                                            | 0.1                                                            |
| Puducherry #                    | 301,276                                                      | 18.0                                                           | 0.3                                                            | 0.1                                                            | 0.0                                                            |
| A & N Island #                  | 93,376                                                       | 33.8                                                           | 0.4                                                            | 0.0                                                            | 0.0                                                            |