Use of commercial LPG declines
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 04 2019:
The use of 19 kg commercial cooking gas cylinder in the State has decreased substantially.
One of the most probable causes for the decrease might be due to change in the cylinders used by the shops and business establishments dealing in food and beverages and this requires the immediate intervention of the authorities concerned.
According to an official source, a distributor across the State sold a total of 60,215 units of the 19 kg commercial cylinders from April to August last year.
However, this year, the LPG distributors sold about 55,438 units of the 19 kg cylinders during the same period.
It may be mentioned that the subsidised 14.2 kg domestic cylinder is approved for use only in households and the said subsidy is meant to benefit only the poor families.
Well to do families are not supposed to get the subsidy even if they use the 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinders, the source explained.
Even though it cannot be said that there is no backlog in the LPG supply condition in Manipur currently, the people are now able to get LPG cylinders rather easily.
Due to such easy availability of the LPG cylinders, the shops and business establishments engaged in making and selling food and beverage have started using the 14.2 kgs domestic cylinders .
This will completely ruin the schemes meant for the poor families, the source added.
The source continued that the number of 19 kg commercial cylinder sold by IOCL in Manipur from April to August this year, was 4,777 less that the number sold during the same period last year.
As per the revised price for the month of September, the 19 kg cylinder now costs Rs 1369, 14.2 kg domestic cylinder costs Rs 732.When compared to each other in terms of price per kg, there is a difference of Rs 667 between the two.
The source reasoned that due to the use of 14.2 kgs cylinders by the business establishments and the shops due to its easy availability, the sale of the commercial cylinder (19 kg) might have decreased as such.
This requires the focus of the State Government as it will affect the poor families in the long run, the source added.