Dissemination Challenges of Liquefied Petroleum Gas in Rural India: Perspectives from the Field

Abstract

We look at infrastructure and policies in India around the distribution of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to rural communities and incorporate the experiences and perspectives of dissemination personnel. This qualitative study is part of a larger case control study aimed at examining strategies to promote adoption and sustained use of clean cooking technology, particularly among the rural poor in southern India. Our focus on dissemination personnel helps illuminate extant policy implementation and strategies to increase LPG uptake among the poor. Thematic analysis of 13 semi-structured interviews points to gaps in workforce training, infrastructure, and interface of the technology with social norms. Reduction in refill costs and removal of LPG subsidies was widely suggested to increase uptake and use. Themes identified underscore that policies promoting LPG for the poor will have limited success in the absence of commensurate infrastructure for LPG dissemination and awareness. Despite being primary policy beneficiaries, the under-representation of women within energy governance such as LPG distribution systems identified in this study presents a gap that interventions should focus on. Perspectives from those at the frontiers of implementation of a national energy policy provide insights into the high points as well as operational setbacks to help understand dissemination strategies within energy systems.