Lok Sabha Question No. 2063 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-28
Subject: LPG Coverage Ratio
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: RAMA DEVI, ABHISHEK SINGH, BHAGWANTH KHUBA, PRATAPRAO GANPATRAO JADHAV, MAUSAM NOOR, RAMDAS CHANDRABHANJI TADAS, CHANDRAKANT BHAURAO KHAIRE, LAXMI NARAYAN YADAV, RAM TAHAL CHOUDHARY, PONNUSAMY VENUGOPAL, LAXMAN GILUWA

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2063 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 th   NOVEMBER 2016

## LPG COVERAGE RATIO

†2063. SHRIMATI RAMA DEVI: SHRI ABHISHEK SINGH: SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA: SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV: SHRIMATI MAUSAM NOOR: SHRI RAMDAS C. TADAS: SHRI CHANDRAKANT KHAIRE: SHRI LAXMI NARAYAN YADAV: SHRI RAM TAHAL CHOUDHARY: DR. P. VENUGOPAL: SHRI LAXMAN GILUWA:

## पेट्रोलियम एवं प्राक ृ लिक गैस मंत्री

Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state :

- (a)  whether  there  is  any  proposal  to  increase  LPG  coverage  ratio  to  cover  all rural/urban poor household and to appoint distributors at Panchayat/village level in proportion to target fixed in this regard;
- (b)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  registered  LPG  consumers  in  the  country along with new LPG connections/LPG gas agencies provided/target set to provide LPG to all, State/UT-wise including Karnataka;
- (c) the number of consumers which are in waiting list to get the LPG connections in the  country  during  the  last  three  years  and  the  current  year  along  with  the  steps taken/being  taken  to  clear  the  waiting  list  in  a  time  bound  manner,  State/UT-wise including Maharashtra;
- (d)  whether  there  is  mismatch  between  the  demand  and  supply/shortage  of  LPG across  the  country  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  steps  taken  to overcome the situation, State/UT-wise including Madhya Pradesh;
- (e)  whether  cases  of  black  marketing  of  unused  cylinders  from  yearly  consumer quota  and  diversion  of  LPG  cylinders  for  commercial  purpose  such  as  hotel  and restaurant,  overcharging  from  LPG  godown,  underweight/pilferage  of  gas  from cylinders have been noticed by the Government during the said period;

(f)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  number  of  such  cases  identified  against authorised  dealers/officials  involved  therein  and  the  action  taken  under  marketing discipline guidelines including issue of warning and cancellation of distributorship if any, during the said period; and

(g)  the  efforts  made  by  the  Government to inform the delivery of LPG cylinders to consumers through messaging and to digitalise the tracking and movement of LPG cylinders from distribution agencies to curb such irregularities, State/UT/Oil Marketing Companies-wise?

## ANSWER

पेट्रोलियम एवं प्राक ृ लिक गैस मंत्रािय में राज्य मंत्री ( स्विंत्र प्रभार ) ( श्री धमेन्द्र प्रधान )

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

- (a) & (b) The Government with a view to increase LPG coverage to 75% by 2019 and to provide LPG connections to poor household, has launched Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). Under PMUY, 5 crore new LPG connections over a period of  three  years  starting  from  2016-17  to  BPL  households  identified  through  SECC data,   are released.  In order to ensure availability and accessibility of LPG, Public Sector  Oil  Marketing  Companies  (OMCs)  appoint  new  LPG  distributors  based  on market  feasibility.  Currently  selection  and  commissioning  of  new  distributors  is underway in more than 2300 locations. Further advertisement for 400 locations each in  the  States  of  UP  and  Odisha  has  been  released  by  OMCs.        State/UT-wise details of registered active domestic LPG consumers/new gas connection released in the current Financial Year and LPG distributorship are at Annexure-I.

(c) The States/UTs wise details of waiting list for the current year as on 01.10.2016 are at Annexure-II

Release  of  LPG  connections  is  a  continuous  process.  LPG  distributors  are under  instruction  to  release  new  connections  on  demand  and,  if  any  waiting  list arises, liquidate the same within seven days.

- (d)  Assessment  of  requirement  of  LPG  (domestic/commercial)  in  the  country including  state  of  Madhya  Pradesh  is  made  by  Public  Sector  Oil  Marketing Companies  (OMCs)  on  annual  basis  for  planning  the  imports  as  indigenous

production of LPG is less than the demand. The projected demand is monitored on a regular  basis  and  necessary  changes  in  the  projections  are  made  based  on  the prevailing sales trend, change in policies or any other factor which may influence the demand.  Action is taken accordingly to meet any fluctuation in demand of LPG due to such factors.

(e)  &  (f)    OMCs  carry  out  regular  surprise  inspections  at  distributors  premises, conduct  refill  audits,  surprise  checks  at  customers  premises,  en-route  checking  of delivery vehicles etc. , to check  blackmarketing and pilferage of cylinders.

During 2015-16, the established cases of malpractice/irregularities  including overcharging, underweight/pilferage of LPG cylinders were 2633. Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies(OMCs)  take punitive action under the prevailing Marketing Discipline Guidelines(MDG) and the Distributorship Agreement against LPG distributors  in all established cases of irregularities.

(g)  SMSs  are  sent  to  the  LPG  consumers  at  the  time  of  booking,  cash  memo generation and delivery of cylinders.

Further, HPCL had launched Smart Refill Delivery Management on Pilot basis through Mobile application Ézy Gas'. The advantages/features of the application are :

1.  Delivery of Refill Cylinder to right consumer
2.  Delivery of Refill Cylinder at right place at right time.
3.  Options  to  the  consumers  to  pay  for  the  refill  using  cash  or  credit Card/Debit Card at the time of delivery at their door step. (E-Wallets to be integrated)
4.  On  the  spot  Delivery  confirmation  in  the  central  system  of  HPCL  as delivery happens
5.  Near  real time display of all delivery related information at the distributorship through a dashboard, providing much needed control of distributors on delivery process.

| USPQ No. 2063        |                                                           |                                                                    | Annexure-I                            |
|----------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
| STATE/UT             | Active Domestic Customers as on 01.10.2016 (Fig. in lakh) | New LPG connections during current financial year as on 01.10.2016 | LPG distributorships as on 01.10.2016 |
| CHANDIGARH           | 2.68                                                      | 7691                                                               | 27                                    |
| DELHI                | 47.21                                                     | 84182                                                              | 321                                   |
| HARYANA              | 50.31                                                     | 307877                                                             | 438                                   |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH     | 13.80                                                     | 38889                                                              | 162                                   |
| JAMMU & KASHMIR      | 16.34                                                     | 37860                                                              | 238                                   |
| PUNJAB               | 64.83                                                     | 280359                                                             | 737                                   |
| RAJASTHAN            | 102.56                                                    | 1379399                                                            | 1046                                  |
| UTTAR PRADESH        | 237.63                                                    | 3731473                                                            | 2863                                  |
| UTTRANCHAL           | 20.12                                                     | 117867                                                             | 250                                   |
| SUB TOTAL NORTH      | 555.47                                                    | 5985597                                                            | 6082                                  |
| ANDAMAN & NICOBAR    | 0.76                                                      | 3871                                                               | 5                                     |
| ARUNACHAL PRADESH    | 1.88                                                      | 9505                                                               | 58                                    |
| ASSAM                | 30.27                                                     | 213786                                                             | 436                                   |
| BIHAR                | 78.59                                                     | 1200862                                                            | 1059                                  |
| JHARKHAND            | 19.95                                                     | 97187                                                              | 390                                   |
| MANIPUR              | 3.33                                                      | 15479                                                              | 79                                    |
| MEGHALAYA            | 1.40                                                      | 7254                                                               | 49                                    |
| MIZORAM              | 2.40                                                      | 3582                                                               | 54                                    |
| NAGALAND             | 1.77                                                      | 7385                                                               | 59                                    |
| ODISHA               | 37.21                                                     | 465244                                                             | 567                                   |
| SIKKIM               | 1.15                                                      | 4997                                                               | 15                                    |
| TRIPURA              | 4.28                                                      | 23612                                                              | 59                                    |
| WEST BENGAL          | 122.08                                                    | 1159374                                                            | 952                                   |
| SUB TOTAL EAST       | 305.09                                                    | 3212138                                                            | 3782                                  |
| CHATTISGARH          | 21.56                                                     | 226362                                                             | 365                                   |
| DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI | 0.70                                                      | 2264                                                               | 2                                     |
| DAMAN & DIU          | 0.63                                                      | 2105                                                               | 3                                     |
| GOA                  | 4.46                                                      | 10739                                                              | 51                                    |
| GUJARAT              | 72.42                                                     | 580937                                                             | 752                                   |
| MADHYA PRADESH       | 79.80                                                     | 1097060                                                            | 1218                                  |
| MAHARASHTRA          | 208.67                                                    | 898489                                                             | 1719                                  |
| SUB TOTAL WEST       | 388.25                                                    | 2817956                                                            | 4110                                  |
| ANDHRA PRADESH       | 112.26                                                    | 498361                                                             | 855                                   |
| KARNATAKA            | 110.71                                                    | 470230                                                             | 952                                   |
| KERALA               | 79.07                                                     | 186860                                                             | 584                                   |
| LAKSHADWEEP          | 0.04                                                      | 106                                                                | 1                                     |
| PUDUCHERRY           | 3.39                                                      | 6372                                                               | 23                                    |
| TAMILNADU            | 167.64                                                    | 614652                                                             | 1147                                  |
| TELANGANA            | 88.26                                                     | 340322                                                             | 678                                   |
| SUB TOTAL SOUTH      | 561.37                                                    | 2116903                                                            | 4240                                  |
| ALL INDIA            | 1810.2                                                    | 14132594                                                           | 18214                                 |

| STATE/UT            |    IND |
|---------------------|--------|
| CHANDIGARH          |    224 |
| DELHI               |   4597 |
| HARYANA             |   4002 |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH    |    328 |
| JAMMU &KASHMIR      |   7410 |
| PUNJAB              |   2929 |
| RAJASTHAN           |   5241 |
| UTTAR PRADESH       |  20475 |
| UTTRANCHAL          |    512 |
| SUB TOTAL NORTH     |  45718 |
| ANDAMAN &NICOBAR    |      1 |
| ARUNACHAL PRADESH   |     25 |
| ASSAM               |    610 |
| BIHAR               |   6150 |
| JHARKHAND           |    994 |
| MANIPUR             |     44 |
| MEGHALAYA           |      7 |
| MIZORAM             |      7 |
| NAGALAND            |     46 |
| ODISHA              |   3883 |
| SIKKIM              |      1 |
| TRIPURA             |     24 |
| WEST BENGAL         |   7932 |
| SUB TOTAL EAST      |  19724 |
| CHATTISGARH         |    294 |
| DADRA& NAGAR HAVELI |      7 |
| DAMAN&DIU           |     12 |
| GOA                 |    374 |
| GUJARAT             |   1396 |
| MADHYA PRADESH      |   1420 |
| MAHARASHTRA         |  21947 |
| SUB TOTAL WEST      |  25450 |
| ANDHRA PRADESH      |   2693 |
| KARNATAKA           |  34655 |
| KERALA              |   1781 |
| LAKSHADWEEP         |      0 |
| PUDUCHERRY          |     77 |
| TAMILNADU           |  21591 |
| TELANGANA           |   2409 |
| SUB TOTAL SOUTH     |  63206 |
| ALL INDIA           | 154098 |