Open sale of LPG to customers : LPG price hiked by as much as Rs 100 per cylinder slur raised
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 09 2020: Since the start of open sale of cooking gas (LPG) to regular customers other than PMUY (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana) beneficiaries 15 days ago, some of the distributors are allegedly hiking the price for a 14.2 kg refill by as much as Rs 100, claimed some distributors.

Speaking to this reporter, they alleged that certain distributors are hiking the price of the 14.2 kg refill by Rs 100 in the name of delivery service when in fact, customers are buying the refill merely a few metres away from the respective godowns.

They emphasised that the refills are not delivered to the houses of the customers, but sold only a few metres away from the godown.

Open sale of LPG to customers

Speaking about the open sale of the LPG refills, they said that the sale was started after IOCL officials and distributors met and discussed complaints received from the regular customers of refills not delivered amid the lockdown.

They clarified that the delivery/sale of refills to regular customers was halted to focus on delivering refills to PMUY beneficiaries as per the instruction of the Government.

LPG refills are being provided to PMUY beneficiaries for free during the lockdown, they added.

There are about 6.02 lakh LPG consumers in the State and of these, 1.6 lakh are beneficiaries of the PMUY.

As the distributors were delivering refills to only PMUY beneficiaries, regular customers started complaining and even pelted stones at the delivery team, they claimed adding the service to the regular customers was resumed as there is adequate LPG stock at the IOCL Gas Bottling Plant at Sekmai.

The distributors further stated that the cost of a 14.2 kg refill is Rs 696.40 without delivery charge of Rs 27.60 .

However, as the distributors were unable to provide delivery service on just Rs 27.60, district administrations in 2015 fixed the delivery charge at Rs 100 .

They further asserted that the delivery charge should be revised as the prices of petrol and diesel have spiked.

Stating that the distributors are putting in all efforts to make the LPG/cooking gas available to the consumers at ease, they asserted that those distributors who are allegedly hiking price illegally should be booked and punished.