Inequalities in accessing LPG and electricity consumption in India: the role of caste, tribe, and religion

Using the National Sample Survey Organisation data from the 68th round (2011–12) of 88,939 households, this paper investigates the inequalities in access to Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) and electricity usage by the households belonging to the three major disadvantaged groups in India, viz., the scheduled castes, the scheduled tribes, and the Muslims. The results of our analysis suggest that, after controlling for the other socio-economic factors which impinge on the households’ demand and supply characteristics, the households belonging to these disadvantaged groups do have poorer access to LPG and electricity usage as compared to the upper caste households. It is the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe households who would appear to face most discrimination in the equality spaces of the electricity usage and LPG distribution. Policy implications of the findings are considered.