Tracing the contours of inequality in Sikkim and the Seven sisters v2

1. Energy access: tracing the contours of
inequality:
The Ishanya Kone
or
Sikkim and the Seven Sisters

2. •The north eastern states have their own energy consumption pattern.
• Most states, with exception of Assam have done very well in terms of
providing electricity for lighting even in rural areas and certainly so in the
urban areas.
•Most states show, however, heavy dependence on firewood for cooking
which can go as high as 92% in Nagaland and 94% in Tripura. Even in
Urban areas dependence on firewood is considerable. The use of LPG in
urban areas is considerable in most states.
•Use of kerosene is quite insignificant as cooking fuel. Interestingly use
of electricity for lighting and firewood for cooking co-exists. This makes a
case for introducing and popularising forced draft wood stoves.
•Given the efficiency of these chulhas, considerable saving of firewood
could be expected. More important however is the blue flame aspect of
these cook stoves which could improve the air quality indoors.

3. Rural Mizoram can boast of a considerable area where more than 80% households
have access to electricity (shown in green). The improvement over 2001 is quite
discernable in rest of the state too except in the district of Lawngtlai where the
coverage is low, below 40%, and less than that in 2001. As regards urban Mizoram
more than 95% households have access to electricity in most sub-districts.
Electricity as Source of Light in Rural Mizoram
< 40%
40% - 80%
> 80%
< 40%
40% - 80%
> 80%

4. Fire-wood,
13,651 , 12%
Crop residue, 256
, 0%
Cowdung cake,
33 , 0% Coal,Lignite,Charc
oal, 690 , 1%
Kerosene, 3,571 ,
3%
LPG/PNG, 97,366
, 84%
Electricity, 242 ,
0%
Biogas, 133 , 0%
Any other, 29 ,
0%
No cooking, 232 ,
0%
Fuel sources for cooking Mizoram(U)
In terms of cooking energy Rural and Urban Mizoram are mirror images of each
other. In rural, 81% households use firewood and 18% LPG. In urban, 84%
households use LPG and 12% wood. Kerosene is used by about 3% households.

5. A sizeable area of Rural Nagaland has more than 85% households having access to
electricity (shown in green). The improvement over 2001 is quite discernable in rest
of the state too except its eastern part where the coverage is low, in some cases
below 40% (shown in red). In urban Nagaland more than 90% households have
access to electricity in most sub-districts.
< 40%
40% - 80%
> 85%
< 40%
40% - 80%
> 85%
Electricity as Source of Light in Rural Nagaland

6. Fire-wood,
50,172 , 44%
Crop residue,
814 , 1%
Cowdung cake,
146 , 0%
Coal,Lignite,Char
coal, 63 , 0%
Kerosene, 2,170
, 2%
LPG/PNG,
60,688 , 53%
Electricity, 119 , 0%
Biogas, 215 , 0%
Any other, 238 ,
0%
No cooking, 429
, 0%
Fuel sources for cooking : Nagaland(U)
FUEL SOURCES: Rural Nagaland shows huge depends on firewood, 92%
households use it. Another 7% use LPG. Rest of fuels account for just 1%. In urban
Nagaland, LPG use by 53% households is low in comparison with other NE states.
44% urban households use firewood. Surely there is a case to propagate forced draft
wood stoves.

7. Meghalaya: Availability of electricity for lighting in Rural Meghalaya has shown considerable
improvement between 2001 and 2011. Yet a majority of sub district regions show a coverage
only between 15 to 67% (shown in yellow). In urban Meghalaya the position is much better in
2011 with most sub districts having a coverage of 87% or more households.
< 25%
25% - 67%
> 67%
< 25%
25% - 67%
> 67%
Electricity as Source of Light in Rural Meghalaya

8. Fire-wood, 29,944 ,
26%
Crop residue, 493 ,
0%
Cowdung cake, 106 ,
0%
Coal,Lignite,Charcoal
, 9,420 , 8%
Kerosene, 17,166 ,
15%
LPG/PNG, 52,985 ,
46%
Electricity, 5,198 ,
5%
Biogas, 442 , 0%
Any other, 87 , 0%
No cooking, 261 , 0%
Fuel sources for cooking Meghalaya(U)
Rural Meghalaya shows overwhelming dependence on firewood with 94%
households using it as source of fuel for cooking and the LPG penetration is only 2%
(pie chart not shown). In urban Meghalaya the fuel mix is quite broad based. While
LPG is used by 46% households, firewood (26%), kerosene (15%), coal (8%) and
even electricity (5%) showing significant presence.

9. Assam: Rural Assam has performed relatively poorly. Only one sub-district, Jorhat East
has more than 70% households having access to electricity. A large region of the state
shows less than 35% households have such an access (shown in red). Even in urban
Assam a large part has less than 80% households having access to electricity. (not shown
in map).
< 35%
35% - 70%
> 70%
< 35%
35% - 70%
> 70%
Electricity as Source of Light in Rural Assam

10. Fire-wood,
4,331,553 ,
81%
Crop residue,
398,030 , 8%
Cowdung
cake, 52,278
, 1%
Coal,Lignite,C
harcoal,
3,881 , 0%
Kerosene,
8,401 , 0%
LPG/PNG,
531,807 ,
10%
Electricity,
2,171 , 0%
Biogas,
5,647 , 0%
Any other,
21,579 , 0%
No cooking,
19,206 , 0%
Fuel sources for cooking Assam(R)
Fire-wood,
260,427 ,
26%
Crop
residue,
12,041 , 1%
Cowdung
cake, 1,859
, 0%
Coal,Lignite
,Charcoal,
2,953 , 1%
Kerosene,
31,391 , 3%
LPG/PNG,
674,814 ,
68%
Electricity,
973 , 0%Biogas,
1,899 , 0%
Any other,
1,024 , 0%
No cooking,
5,361 , 1%
Fuel sources for cooking Assam(U)
Rural Assam has large dependence on firewood (81%) with LPG accounting for just
10% and crop residue 8%. Other sources are insignificant. In Urban Assam, LPG
(68%) and firewood (26%) cover most of the usage with kerosene accounting for
just 3%.

11. Tripura: Rural Tripura has performed much better compared to Assam. The improvement
between 2001 and 2011 is discernible except a smaller area where less than 40%
households have access to electricity for lighting. Urban Tripura has done well with most
sub districts, except three showing more than 75% households having access to
electricity (not shown in map) .
< 40%
40% - 66%
> 66%
< 40%
40% - 66%
> 66%
Electricity as Source of Light in Rural Tripura

12. Fire-wood,
566,977 , 94%
Crop residue,
5,105 , 1%
Cowdung cake,
763 , 0%
Coal,Lignite,Charco
al, 528 , 0%
Kerosene, 1,100 ,
0%
LPG/PNG, 31,920 ,
5%
Electricity, 223 ,
0%
Biogas, 264 , 0%
Any other, 559 ,
0%
No cooking, 340 ,
0%
Fuel sources for cooking Tripura(R)
Rural Tripura has the maximum dependence on firewood (94%) with LPG accounting
for 5%. Other sources (1%) are insignificant. In Urban Tripura LPG (50%) and
firewood (47%) cover most of the usage with kerosene accounting for just 3%. Of
the households numbering only around 4000 households.

13. Rural Sikkim has performed remarkably well. The improvement between 2001 and 2011 is
clearly discernible with most sub-divisions showing more than 90% households having
access to electricity for lighting (shown in green). Urban Sikkim has certainly done well
with more than 95% households having access to electricity in most sub-districts (not
shown in map) .
Electricity as Source of Light in Rural Sikkim
< 80%
80% - 90%
> 90%
< 80%
80% - 90%
> 90%

14. Rural Sikkim has a huge dependence on firewood (71%) followed by LPG (24%).
Other sources (5%) are insignificant with kerosene accounting for 3% out of these.
The LPG usage in urban Sikkim is high, 85%. There are 9% households that use
kerosene, but these number only around 3000 households.
Fire-wood,
65,418 ,
71%
Crop
residue,
685 , 1%
Cowdung
cake, 198 ,
0%
Coal,Lignite,
Charcoal,
34 , 0%
Kerosene,
2,656 , 3%
LPG/PNG,
22,438 ,
24%
Electricity,
307 , 0%
Biogas, 84 ,
0%
Any other,
28 , 0%
No cooking,
522 , 1%
Fuel sources for cooking Sikkim(R)
Fire-wood,
1,892 , 5%
Crop
residue,
84 , 0% Cowdung
cake, 21
, 0%
Coal,Lignite,
Charcoal,
66 , 0%
Kerosene,
2,977 , 9%
LPG/PNG,
30,433 ,
85%
Electricity,
26 , 0%
Biogas, 33 ,
0%
Any other,
9 , 0%
No cooking,
220 , 1%
Fuel sources for cooking Sikkim(U)

15. Rural Arunachal Pradesh has improved the access of households to electricity
between 2001 and 2011. However, in many rural areas less than 25% households
have access to electricity (Shown in red). Urban Arunachal has of course done well
providing access to electricity to more than 90% households in most sub-districts
(not shown in map) .
< 25%
25% - 67%
> 67%
< 25%
25% - 67%
> 67%
Electricity as Source of Light in Rural Arunachal Pradesh

16. Fire-wood,
166,976 ,
85%
Crop
residue,
1,472 , 1%
Cowdung
cake, 155 ,
0%
Coal,Lignite,
Charcoal, 38
, 0%
Kerosene,
912 , 1%
LPG/PNG,
25,363 , 13%
Electricity,
168 , 0%
Biogas, 169 ,
0%
Any other,
83 , 0%
No cooking,
387 , 0%
Fuel sources for cooking : Arunachal(R)
Fire-wood,
12,630 , 19%Crop
residue, 317
, 0%
Cowdung
cake, 51 ,
0%
Coal,Lignite,
Charcoal, 18
, 0%
Kerosene,
1,017 , 2%
LPG/PNG,
51,082 , 78%
Electricity,
135 , 0%
Biogas, 179
, 0%
Any other,
53 , 0%
No cooking,
409 , 1%
Fuel sources for cooking : Arunachal(U)
Rural Arunachal shows huge dependence on fire wood (85% households) with LPG
covering only 13% of the households in contrast to 78% households in urban areas.
Firewood (19%) and Kerosene (2%) account for the rest.

17. Manipur: Rural Manipur has also faired satisfactorily and the improvement between
2001 and 2011 is discernible except a smaller area in the south western corner
where less than 25% households have access to electricity for lighting.
< 25%
25% - 67%
> 67%
< 25%
25% - 67%
> 67%
Electricity as Source of Light in Rural Manipur

18. Urban Manipur shows improvement between 2001 and 2011 but surprisingly in
certain part of the central region the coverage has gone down in 2011 compared to
2001. This needs some detailed scrutiny.
Electricity as Source of Light in Urban Manipur
< 70%
70% - 80%
> 80%
< 70%
70% - 80%
> 80%

19. Fire-wood,
269,360 ,
80%
Crop
residue,
4,252 , 1%
Cowdung
cake, 820 ,
0%
Coal,Lignite,
Charcoal,
4,527 , 2%
Kerosene,
366 , 0%
LPG/PNG,
53,780 , 16%
Electricity,
199 , 0%
Biogas, 683 ,
0%
Any other,
1,536 , 1%
No cooking,
229 , 0%
Fuel sources for cooking Manipur(R)
Fire-wood,
63,879 , 37%
Crop
residue,
1,501 , 1%
Cowdung
cake, 294 ,
0%
Coal,Lignite,
Charcoal,
6,158 , 4%
Kerosene,
440 , 0%
LPG/PNG,
96,669 , 57%
Electricity,
130 , 0%
Biogas, 527
, 0%
Any other,
1,573 , 1%
No cooking,
229 , 0%
Fuel sources for cooking Manipur(U)
Rural Manipur shows considerable dependence on firewood as source of fuel for
cooking (80%) and a low penetration of LPG (16%). Other sources do not count for
much except coal (2%). In urban areas too LPG (57%) and firewood (37%) account
for most of the fuel sources with coal being used by about 4% households.

20. We thus see that the north eastern states
show a different energy consumption
pattern.
It is important to keep the energy usage in
right shape in the Ishanya corner of our
country.
When shall we do it?