Jammu, January 02 (Scoop News) –Asking the Oil companies to expedite the process of updating of records of the LPG consumers, the Minister for Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution, Qamar Ali Akhoon said that the issue entails much importance and needs to be addressed on priority.
The Minister was reviewing the progress on the updating exercise of records of LPG consumers, started in the state few months back, here at a meeting.
The Minister of state for Transport and CA&PD Shabir Ahmed Khan, Secretary, CA&PD, Mohammad Abass Dar, Director CA&PD, Jammu, Parvez Ahmad Malik, Director, CA&PD, Kashmir, Mir Mushtaq Ahmad, besides representatives of oil companies, including Khajuria from IOC and K.L.Kichloo from HPC also attended the meeting.
The meeting was informed that records of 3.58 lakh consumers have been updated so for, while the process of name change and transfer is in full swing. It was told that at present a total of 7.53 Lakh consumers are registered with different oil companies in the State.
Emphasizing for releasing the list of the consumers whose records have been up-dated and the charges for securing new connections, the Minister asked the representatives of the oil companies to utilize the services of print and electronic media so that information could reach to general public, including those living in rural and far flung areas. “There are complaints that dealers are forcing consumers to take gas stoves with new connections” the minister asked the representatives to publish the necessary guidelines and rates in the local press to dispel the apprehensions of the consumers.
Regarding the home delivery system, Mr Qamar directed the officers and the representatives to extend the ambit of home delivery system and introduce the facility in districts and towns also. He said this would help to contain black-marketing, besides bringing efficiency in service delivery system.
Mr Shabir Ahmad Khan stressed the need to streamline the LPG distribution in the rural areas of Poonch , Rajouri and other districts. He said there were many complaints from Surankote and asked the representatives and the officers to take appropriate measures for addressing the problems of the people there. He said the advertisements seeking applications for setting of new gas delivery outlets need to be published in all the newspapers of the State, particularly in prominent and vast circulated ones, so that apprehensions of monopoly are weeded out in this process.
The Secretary CA&PD asked the representatives of HPC to take pre-emptive measures to ensure that gas supply to Kulgam and Anantnag districts was made available from Pampore filling stations in the event of blockage of National highway. He asked them to take necessary measures for addressing the complaints of the consumers with proper arrangements for registration of the same.
“It is not compulsory for consumers to get the gas stove while obtaining new gas connection”, said the representatives, adding that consumers have to pay as per the rate fixed by the companies, except gas stove. They said it was the choice of the consumer whether to take the connection with or without gas stove.
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