The Centre Government has slashed about 8 lakh litres every month of kerosene oil for public distribution to the state, thus affecting people and their livelihood, the kerosene dealers said.President of the dealers Ghulam Rasool Shah told KNS that from the last four months kerosene oil has been cut by 8 lakh litres to the state.“Earlier, we received 48.48 lakh litres every month. Now we get only 40.48 lakh per month. This reduction has been taking place from the last month,” Shah told KNS.He said that slashing of kerosene oil to the state has been happening from earlier this year.Earlier, in January, about 33 per cent oil supply was reduced to the state, he said, that had prompted the dealers to take to streets, demanding revocation of the Central Government’s decision.Shah said that in addition to reduction to people in the oil, the livelihood of about 4000 people depends on retail depots, and by cutting the supplies things will get worse for them.Shah said that by the “partial” decision of the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas the state will get severely affected by the reduction in oil.
Shah claimed that a delegation of kerosene dealers met the state Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution minister Zulfikar Ali to register their protest over the decision.“But the minister told us that the decision has been taken by the centre government and the state dispensation cannot help in it,” he claimed.The dealers said that earlier each ration card holder would get 7 liters and after the cut average 4 liters are given to the registered consumer.Last year, the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on December 31 had decided to cut the supply to the State by 33.34 percent.The agitated dealers said that consumers in the State will also get affected in the ongoing harsh winter. CAPD Minister Zulfikar Ali told KNS that the reduction of the oil has been ordered by the centre across the country.“As per the centre government guideline, a consumer has to take subsidy either in LGP or kerosene. Such slashing has been taken keeping this guideline in view. Our state has not been successful to follow the guideline so kerosene oil supply is cut,” Ali told KNS.