Energy poverty and subsidies: an Indian case study
Student name: Ms Preeti Nawal
Guide: Prof Badal Mukhopadhyay
Year of completion: 2012
Host Organisation: Delhi College of Arts & Commerce, University of Delhi
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr Shalini Saksena
Abstract: Energy access is crucial to economic progress. The linkages between energy
access and poverty have been accepted throughout the literature on energy. Hence, to aid poverty
alleviation quantifying households‘ lack of access to some basic amount of energy services is
necessary. The concept of energy Poverty tackles this issue. The paper attempts to estimate
Energy poverty for the case of India. The results obtained indicate that energy poverty has
increased over time, especially in urban areas. The paper has also reviewed the energy subsidy
and the energy price scenario is India for the fuels like Kerosene, LPG and electricity,
understanding of which is essential to understand the impact it may have on the energy access
situation in the country. The rising prices of these fuels and the falling subsidies on these fuels,
brings forth the issue of subsidy targeting that needs urgent attention.
