Govt to check misuse of LPG cylinders

New Delhi, Dec 7 (UNI) The demand for LPG has touched 10,494,000 metric tonnes forcing the country to go in for import of 2,719,000 metric tonnes every year, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora told the Lok Sabha today.

With the Government and PSU oil companies giving a subsidy of Rs 175 per cylinder, the total subsidy bill on this count came to Rs 11766 crores for 2005-06.

As commercial use and misuse of LPG tend to cross 5 per cent of the total consumption, the Government has stepped up monitoring and distribution of LPG to check diversion for unauthorised use of the subsidised cooking gas, the Minister said.

In the wake of shortage and irregular supplies of LPG in certain parts of the country, the Government has advised oil companies to monitor dealer-wise sales to check misuse particularly by commercial establishments and illegal LPG vehicles.

UNI JSS MIR HT1337