In view of Holi festival and customers’ hurry to procure this financial year’s quota of subsidised cylinders, backlog in various gas agencies has increased by 20 per cent, said Doon lPG Distributors’ Association (DlPGDA) president and Valley Gas Agency owner Chamanlal on Tuesday.
However, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Dehradun deputy manager Dhirendra Kumar said that in comparison to last year’s, around 10 per cent additional cylinders are being supplied in March from Haridwar bottling plant for the last couple of days. He added that IOC supplied around 60 truck loads of cylinders daily to meet the customer’s requirement in Dehradun. He admitted that customers’ hurry to procure this financial years’ quota of subsidised cylinders had increased the backlog in various gas agencies in the district.
As per IOC guidelines, consumers would get only 11 lPG cylinders — one each in February and March — in this year’s quota, although Central government had recently raised the annual quota of subsidised domestic lPG cylinders from nine to 12. The 12-cylinder quota will be applicable from April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015 - one a month at subsidised rates. large number of customers can be seen at each gas agency for booking their cylinders or procuring refills with the end of the financial year approaching near. Raipur resident Sumitra Saklani said, “I booked a cylinder on February 17 at Sahkarita Gas Agency, but I am yet to get refill. When I recently approached the agency, the agency official said that there are backlogs in the agency due to short supply of cylinders from the oil companies.” She alleged that agency officials do not pick up the calls.
Chamanlal said that backlog has increased as customers are approaching the agencies for procuring refill before March 31 while supply of cylinders from IOC remains the same. Following the direction of IOC, new lPG connections are not being issued to the applicants by the agency. New connection will be issued from April this year. He expressed hope that customers would soon be able to procure cylinder through home delivery within few days of booking if IOC supplies more truckloads of cylinders to the district.