Factors driving cooking fuel choice amongst urban poor : a study of bhubaneswar city in odisha , india

POLC-03 This study explores the factors that impact choice of cooking fuel, in our case, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) among the urban poor in India. In earlier studies multiple socio-economic and market related factors (e.g. distribution and pricing), are discussed as determinants of which ultimately determine the cooking fuel choice of household. However, no clear or integrated models exist. This study focuses on household characteristics that can impact cooking fuel choice. 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, the social status and other household characteristics are important in determining the cooking fuel choice. A major finding of the study is that unaffordability is not the single most criteria. The cooking fuel choice of a family is basically a function of external and household specific factors.