Thiruvananthapuram: Around 51.81 lakh people who holds the blue and white rations cards in the non-priority category, will not be provided kerosene from ration shops from this month. The 41.44 lakh beneficiaries belonging to priority pink and yellow categories will get only half a litre of kerosene once in three months.

However, those whose houses are yet to be electrified will continue to get the three-month allocation of six litres. This will be distributed equally in the months of April and May.

The Civil Supplies Department has issued the order to start the revised distribution from Saturday onwards.

The State has permanently excluded blue and white ration card holders from kerosene allocation after the Centre slashed the kerosene supply stock from 3888-kilo litres (38.88 lakh litres) to 1944 kilo litres (19.44 lakh litres) from this financial year onwards. This will result in such cardholders visiting the ration shops.

The traders get only a commission of Rs 3.50 per litre of kerosene. They lament that they are incurring losses since the cost of transporting kerosene from wholesale supply centers is high, while the quantity is decreasing.