LPG demand estimated at 13.7 Mmt

New Delhi : Minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas Jitin Prasada said the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday that Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have assessed the annual requirement/demand of domestic LPG/commercial LPG for the entire country for the current year 2010 as 13.7 MMT, including 304.7 Thousand Metric Tonne (TMT) for the North-Eastern Region.

Against the projected demand of 13.7 MMT, 9.7 MMT is indigenously available and the balance quantity is being imported to meet the demand in full.

He further stated that the details of demand/sales of domestic LPG cylinders in the North Eastern Region during the period from January to October, 2010 are 166.2 lakh.

Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have reported a shortage LPG supplies in the States of Manipur and Tripura due to restricted movement of bulk LPG tank trucks, local lawa and order problems, economic blockade by the students Union in the State of Manipur, shortage of products and labour problem at private bottling plant in Tripura, he said.

However, the Minister said, there is no shortage of LPG supplies in the other States of North-Eastern Region, including Nagaland.

?Government has reviewed the overall backlog situation and has advised OMCs to liquidate it by operating the bottling plants on holidays and during extended hours,? the Minister said.

He also said that OMCs have issued notice-inviting applications for selection of LPG distributors under the scheme Rajiv Gandhi Gramin LPG Vitaran Yojana for establishing LPG distributors in five locations in Nagaland.

Similarly, OMCs are in the process of setting up five regular LPG distributors in Nagaland under industry marketing plan 2008-10.