Question : BIOMASS COOKING STOVES

(a) whether the Government has discontinued the National Programme of improved chullhas;

(b) if so, the reasons therefor;

(c) the steps taken by the Government to develop technology for improved biomass cooking stoves and replacing the traditional chulhas with it;

(d) whether the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and The Energy and Resource Institute have submitted a report to the Government regarding improved biomass cookstove;

(e) if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the follow-up action taken thereon?

THE MINISTER OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY (DR. FAROOQ ABDULLAH)

(a)&(b): The implementation of improved chulha/ smokeless stoves was transferred to State Governments in the year 2003-04. It also forms a component of Indira Awas Yojana houses, being implemented by various State Governments in the country in addition to efforts being made by other organizations.

(c),(d),(e),&(f): The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy launched the National Biomass Cook-stove Initiative on 2nd December 2009. A Core Group has been constituted to interact with concerned stakeholders and to review the progress and further steps required to expand development and deployment of cook-stoves in the country. In addition, the Ministry has sanctioned projects for strengthening four Improved Cook Stove Test Centres for development and modification of standards and testing of cook-stoves.

A project was taken up by the Ministry to assess status of various types of improved cook-stoves currently available, their suitability and delivery mechanisms for deployment through Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and The Energy Resources Institute (TERI). The project has been completed. Based on the recommendation a pilot scale project on ‘Pilot Field Testing and Evaluation of Community Sized Biomass Cook-stoves’ has been taken up recently for demonstration of community size cook-stoves in eight identified States of the country.