The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Murli Deora’s assurance to Food Minister

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Monday, Oct 22, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Murli Deora’s assurance to Food Minister

Special Correspondent

On LPG retail outlets in the cooperative sector

CHENNAI: Petroleum Minister Murli Deora has assured Food Minister E.V. Velu that he will allow the State Government to open LPG retail outlets in the cooperative sector in places where none exists.

Replying to a question from D. Ravikumar (Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi), Mr. Velu said the Government was committed to ensuring that the promised eight lakh LPG stoves and cylinders were distributed to the poor by the end of the year. Hence, it was imperative that adequate gas supplies were also available. The Government was aware of the fact that a retail agent would not be able to cater for a large radius of about 30 km to 35 km.

The Government had identified 69 such places where opening of a retail outlet was necessary. The State Government had raised this issue in a letter written in July this year and had suggested that the cooperative societies be used to operate these outlets. Again, when he met Mr. Deora in New Delhi early this month, he had stressed the fact that for the free LPG stove/gas scheme to succeed, it was imperative that retail outlets are opened in rural areas as well.

Union Information Technology and Communications Minister A. Raja, who was present at the meeting, also stressed on this, he said.

Mr. Deora agreed to the proposition and gave an assurance that the outlets could be under Government control.

Mr. Ravikumar wanted to know if the Minister would consider allocating such outlets to women’s self-help groups. The Minister replied that there were lot of norms to be followed if one were to open a gas agency.

A warehouse to store the cylinders was needed and there were other facilities to be provided. Since these were the requirements, the Government was examining if women’s self-help groups would be in a position to fulfil them. The Government would examine if this was possible, he added.

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