Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) and Tribal Affairs Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali today convened a meeting with representatives of oil companies and concerned officers to review the status and supply of LPG and other petroleum products in the state.The Minister while taking stock of existing supply of these essential commodities in the state directed for ensuring adequate availability of these commodities to snow bound areas in the state. He directed the companies to maintain a contingency stock of LPG of at least 21 days to account for any eventuality, so that the local populace does not suffer.The Minister said that directions have been issued to Traffic department to ensure that all trucks carrying fuel and LPG on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway are allowed to move on priority basis.The Minister, while reviewing the status of DBTL, Aadhaar seeding and other allied issues confronting the consumers with oil companies and LPG distributors, asked for working out collaborative strategies to sort out issues.
He emphasized the need of greater coordination among all agencies concerned, like government departments and oil companies, to extend enhanced basic services like cooking gas to people.The meeting deliberated at length on several issues including ensuring home delivery of LPG, establishment of LPG bottling plant at suitable places in Anantnag, Kargil, Rajouri and other areas.The Minister asked the authorities of the oil companies to ensure that every consumer got home delivery within shortest possible time.The Meeting was informed that around 3,68,000 LPG connections have been issued in J&K under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). The Minister appreciated the implementation of PMUY in the State and directed the concerned officials to identify more BPL families to ensure that no eligible beneficiary is left out.Taking note of negligence and lack of safety measures being observed during supply of LPG by way of taking loaded supply trucks to heavily populated localities, the Minister said that the LPG should be delivered to homes of each consumer adding that this method poses serious safety risks.
For this, he directed to constitute a joint team headed by Controller Legal Metrology, Revenue Magistrate, officers of FCS&CA and Police Department Jammu to monitor and keep a vigil over such activities.He asked for organization of Safety clinics to promote safe use of LPG cylinder to check incidents of LPG cylinder blasts, which pose a threat to lives and property. He asked LPG provider companies to organize awareness camps and workshops to apprise residents with precautions and safety measures in cylinder use.He further asked the oil companies representatives to make the toilets at fuel station accessible to the public in all petrol pumps.Director FCS&CA Kashmir, Controller Legal Metrology Department, Joint Director FCS&CA Jammu, Joint Director and Deputy Director LMD and representatives of Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Hindustan Petroleum Gas besides other senior officers of concerned departments were present in the meeting.