Gujarat government on Thursday protested the central government’s decision to reduce kerosene quota by 32.19% from June 1, 2011.

The quota for supplying kerosene to states for distribution through fair price shops under the Public Distribution System (PDS) is decided by the centre.

The state government’s spokespersons Jay Narayan Vyas and Saurabh Patel said this is for the third time in two years the centre has reduced the quota.

They said the monthly quota of 79,644 kilolitre (KL) prevailing from 2004-05 to 2008-09 was first reduced by 0.02% to 79,488 KL in July 2009. Further, it was reduced by 3.5% to 76,712 KL from 2010-11. The latest cut is by 32.19% to 52,020 KL per month.

The kerosene quota was reduced in some other states too. In Rajasthan it has been reduced by 0.03%, in Uttar Pradesh by 0.08%, in Haryana by 10.64%, in Andhra Pradesh by 13.11% and in Kerala by 14.84%.

The ministers said the decision will affect the poor housewives as they have to cook for the families.

They recalled that the centre continued to force Gujarat to buy imported CNG from Petronet at Rs 8.35 per unit higher cost, while allocating CNG at administered prices as per KG basin formula to the Congress-led states like Maharashtra and Delhi and to Metros like Mumbai.