Kathmandu: The government is providing an electric induction stove free of cost each to students from the country’s remote areas who are staying in rented rooms in the Kathmandu Valley to pursue their higher education.

Issuing a public notice, the Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC) has called on the students studying at bachelor’s and master’s levels to apply with the necessary documents. According to the government body, through the scheme, it has targeted to provide some economic respite to the students from the soaring prices of cooking gas and to promote the use of electric appliances for domestic use.

Recently, the prices of petroleum products including the cooking gas have escalated mainly after the Russia-Ukraine rift. The price of crude oil has crossed US $ 113 per barrel in the international market.

Citing a heavy loss due to its rising cost, the state-owned Nepal Oil Corporation is likely to increase the fuel prices any time soon. AEPC has fixed the deadline of March 23 for the students concerned to apply for the free induction stoves.