UPA Govt's PDS norms cut a sorry figure in state
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, November 25 2013: Even as there is provision for availing nine LPG cylinders at subsidized rate to consumers under the Public Distribution System (PDS) as initiated by UPA Government, consumers in Manipur are unlikely to get even five cylinders out of the promised nine in a year due to negligence of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) .

According to reports, distributors in the State have been able to provide not more than four cylinders to consumers between January-November of the current year and the failure of the distributors in distributing the LPG cylinders in time has annoyed the general public at no end.

Moreover, consumers have to read newspapers every day to get informed about the booking and delivery.

Sources from IOC said though the Central Government had announced that nine LPG cylinders would be entitled to every consumer household at subsidized rate in a year, the same could be implemented in the State till date as there has been problem of shortage of LPG in the north eastern States including Manipur and it would take considerable of time to overcome this shortage.

The sources further informed that after eliminating 40000 gas card holders for wrong possession, the number of LPG consumers in the State at present is 3.40 lakhs and for these total number of consumers, 2000 metric tonne of LPG is required per day.

But the IOC has been able to provide only 1600 metric tonne as the Gas Bottling Plant at Sekmai is meant for storing gas coming from Assam only.

There are 54 LPG distributors in the State and four more distributors will be added soon.

Consumers have been getting one LPG cylinder at Rs 424.50 but if the demand of availing nine LPG cylinders at subsidized rate per consumer in a year raises then one have to get the domestic cylinder at Rs 1138 from the dealers, the sources disclosed.

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