Srinagar Dec 19: In order to curb the “misuse” of cooking gas, Minister for Consumer and Public Distribution (CAPD) Qamar Ali Akhoon today said the state will have five LPG filling stations for vehicles very soon.
 Talking to Greater Kashmir on the sidelines of an inauguration function at Gogji Bagh, here, Akhoon said: “We have received sanction from the central government for opening five LPG filling stations for the vehicles in the state.”
 The minister said three stations will be opened in Srinagar and two in Jammu.
 While not giving any date for their opening, the minister said: “We are vigorously pursuing the matter to make the stations operational as soon as possible in the state.”
 Pertinently, according to the Regional Transport officials there are more than 60,000 vehicles in the state using gas as fuel. 
 To mention, in the wake of acute shortage of LPG in the Valley, the traders and vehicles owners here had demanded opening of gas filling stations in the state. 
 Interestingly, the Divisional Administration Kashmir had earlier ordered to the gas supplying companies to add chemicals to the gas cylinders to render them useless for vehicles.
 In order to meet domestic consumption of the LPG, the minister announced that the state will soon have two more bottling plants. 
 In addition to Pampore bottling plant which refills more than 10,000 gas cylinders per day, state will  have two more bottling plants one in Srinagar and Second in Kargil, he said.

* Public Distribution System
 In order to strengthen and smoothen the PDS in state,  Akhoon said the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department will install GPS on all the vehicles of the department.
 The system, according to the minister will help check the diversion of essential commodities.
 The minister added that the CAPD has launched a website for its consumers in Jammu. “A similar website will soon be launched in Srinagar also by the department,” he assured.
 Terming the launch of website as a positive move towards the e-governance in the state, Akhoon said: “It will benefit the consumers and also the officials in smoothening the distribution function in the state.”

* Food Security Bill
 Commenting on the food security bill that has recently been passed by the central cabinet, the minister for CAPD said once the bills is passed by the parliament, the BPL families will get cash transfers.  “This will reduce the misappropriation in distribution system,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:00:00 IST