Taking LPG consumers for a ride : Comical loopholes
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: November 13 2015 -

Subsidised amount yet to reach the bank accounts of consumers under the Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG (DBTL). Receiving 22 or 13 or more than the Government approved 12 subsidised filled LPG cylinders in a year.

Different rate of subsidy transferred to the bank accounts of consumers. Charging Rs 500 per cylinder for home delivery instead of Rs 18 fixed by the Indian Oil Corporation.

Some of the glaring loopholes which The Sangai Express came across during its campaign launched under “Wanted ! Cooking Gas Not Laughing Gas.”

More than evident that the reports which have been carried under this campaign for the last many days must have elicited more than a laugh for some of the shortcomings listed in the reports were simply outrageous.

It is no wonder that Chief Secretary O Nabakishore has taken a serious view of the loopholes and has reportedly written to the authority concerned highlighting the matter.

So it is that while a consumer has received more than 20 filled LPG cylinders in a year, the rest have to wait for months for their next quota of filled LPG cylinder.

The connection between 20 filled LPG cylinders and the thriving black market of cooking gas is more than obvious. Tough to believe that a single consumer would need 20 filled LPG cylinders in a year.

Also significant to note that this is November and there are still more than 30 days for 2015 to end.

More than likely that the consumer who has so far received more than 20 refilled LPG cylinders will get more in the remaining days.

That there must be a connection between the loopholes that have come tumbling out and the thriving black market is something which would not have blown over the head of the authority concerned.

Take a hard look at the ground reality. Shortage of cooking gas for majority of the consumers and abundance of the same in the case of some individuals. This is the ground reality.

A clear case of the people being robbed of their rightful quota of 12 cylinders in a year for the benefits of some and this is unacceptable. The drawbacks are too numerous for the authority concerned to sleep over the matter.

Surprising it is that despite the series of reports which The Sangai Express has carried down the days, there still has been no official statement from the IOC or the higher authorities.

Everything points to the existence of a well established nexus and it is this nexus which should be exposed.

This is where the IOC and the higher authorities need to get their act together and nail the culprits. It is not only cooking gas, but also fuel.

More than sure that there must also be a nexus for the thriving black market of fuel to exist.

There is a reason why cooking gas and fuel are always available in the black market even when the highways connecting Manipur to the outside world are cut off.