Is the Socio-Economic Status of the Households below Poverty Line a Key Indicator towards the Choice of Cooking Fuel as LPG?

Abstract

This study explores the factors that make an impact on the choice of cooking fuel, in our case, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) among the urban poor in the smart city, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. In earlier studies, multiple socio-economic and market-related factors (e.g. distribution and pricing), are discussed as determinants which ultimately determine the households cooking fuel choice. This study focuses on household characteristics that can impact the choice of cooking fuel. Primary data collection was carried out in 3036 households in three urban-slums of Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India and was used as a sample for the study. The analysis revealed that along with income and socioeconomic status, other household characteristics are also important in determining the choice of cooking fuel. A major finding of the study is that unaffordability is not the only criteria in the choice of cooking fuel. The choice of cooking fuel of a family is basically a function of external and household specific factors.