Energy needs of J

Srinagar, June 18 (UNI) The Centre today assured Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand of giving highest priority to their energy needs and requirements to ensure that the development of these states was not impaired due to it.

The assurances came from Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora at a regional meeting of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand held here today to review the marketing and distribution of petroleum products in these northern hill states.

The meeting was attended by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, his Himachal Pradesh counterpart Virbhadra Singh, Uttarakhand Minister of Food and Civil Supplies Dinshaw Patel along with several senior officials.

The interactive session was part of a series of such meetings held by the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry to be more responsive to needs and requirements of the states.

Earlier, such meetings to have a first-hand knowledge of state- specific issues were held in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand.

Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are hilly regions where the logistics of reaching essential petroleum products continues to be a major challenge, the meeting was told.

Despite this, public sector oil marketing companies Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation -- under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas -- have set up an extensive infrastructure for marketing and distribution of petroleum products in these states.

''There are 266 retail outlets in Himachal Pradesh, 333 in Jammu and Kashmir and 352 in Uttarakhand,'' the meeting said.

Similarly, there were 120 LPG distributorships in Himachal Pradesh, 154 in Jammu and Kashmir and 169 in Uttarakhand.

Oil marketing companies have plans to set up 25 more retail outlets and three more LPG distributorships in Himachal Pradesh, 49 and 24 in Jammu and Kashmir and 22 and three in Uttaranchal.

The meeting said the major challenge for the people living in the hilly regions was to preserve the delicate ecological balance and protect the environment and rich forests.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry had introduced 5 kg LPG cylinders several years ago keeping the hilly regions in mind, the meeting said, adding today, a large number of customers were using 5 kg cylinders, thereby reducing their dependence on firewood.

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