LPG Coverage area to be Increased in India: Ministery of Petroleum & Natural Gas

The Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum & Natural Gas Shri Dharmendra Pradhan informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply today that the Government with a view to increase LPG coverage to 75% by 2019 and to provide LPG connections to poor household, has launched Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). Under PMUY, 5 crore new LPG connections over a period of three years starting from 2016-17 to BPL households identified through SECC data, are to be released. In order to ensure availability and accessibility of LPG, Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) appoint new LPG distributors based on market feasibility. Currently selection and commissioning of new distributors is underway in more than 2300 locations. Further advertisement for 400 locations each in the States of UP and Odisha has been released by OMCs.

Release of LPG connections is a continuous process. LPG distributors are under instruction to release new connections on demand and, if any waiting list arises, liquidate the same within seven days.

Assessment of requirement of LPG (domestic/commercial) in the country including state of Madhya Pradesh is made by Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) on annual basis for planning the imports as indigenous production of LPG is less than the demand. The projected demand is monitored on a regular basis and necessary changes in the projections are made based on the prevailing sales trend, change in policies or any other factor which may influence the demand. Action is taken accordingly to meet any fluctuation in demand of LPG due to such factors.

OMCs carry out regular surprise inspections at distributors premises, conduct refill audits, surprise checks at customers premises, en-route checking of delivery vehicles etc., to check black-marketing and pilferage of cylinders.

During 2015-16, the established cases of malpractice/irregularities including overcharging, underweight/pilferage of LPG cylinders were 2633.

Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) take punitive action under the prevailing Marketing Discipline Guidelines (MDG) and the Distributorship Agreement against LPG distributors in all established cases of irregularities.

SMSs are sent to the LPG consumers at the time of booking, cash memo generation and delivery of cylinders.

Further, HPCL had launched Smart Refill Delivery Management on Pilot basis through Mobile application Ézy Gas’. The advantages/features of the application are:

1. Delivery of Refill Cylinder to right consumer
2. Delivery of Refill Cylinder at right place at right time.
3. Options to the consumers to pay for the refill using cash or credit Card/Debit Card at the time of delivery at their door step. (E-Wallets to be integrated)
4. On the spot Delivery confirmation in the central system of HPCL as delivery happens
5. Near real time display of all delivery related information at the distributorship through a dashboard, providing much needed control of distributors on delivery process.