55 million new LPG connections by 2015

The government has directed state-run fuel retailers Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum to clear the wait list for domestic LPG connection within the next two months.

Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Jitin Prasada, who is in-charge of fuel marketing, met the marketing heads of the firms on Tuesday in order to streamline supplies.

"Prasada has directed the oil marketing companies to prepare a year-wise as well as state-wise road map for increasing the pace of new LPG connections by releasing 5.5 crore (55 million) new connections by 2015," a statement from the ministry said.

Release of these new connections would raise coverage from about 50 per cent of the population at present to 75 per cent in line with the Vision 2015 finalised by the ministry, recently.

"Prasada emphasised that focus would be on states which as have very low LPG coverage. Governments endeavour is to take LPG to rural areas of the country," the statement said.

The minister also directed the three firms to improve supply time and customer satisfaction. He wants the time between booking and delivery of LPG cylinders to come down to 48 hours.

The meeting was attended by IOC director (marketing) G C Dagga, HPCL director (marketing) Subir Roy Choudhury and BPCL director (marketing) S Radhakrishnan. S Sundareshan, additional secretary, and Apurva Chandra, joint secretary (marketing), ministry of petroleum and natural gas, were also present.

"Prasada expressed his concern over issues like customer satisfaction and service delivery of petroleum products and directed that the focus has to be on prompt delivery of LPG refills and issuing of new LPG connections as per the stated policy of the ministry and the OMCs," the statement added.