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SAHAJ fuels worries for LPG black marketeers
Highlights
People involved in the unauthorised sale of cooking gas (LPG) cylinders, including non-standardised small-sized cylinders, are feeling the jitters ever since the Government of India launched ‘SAHAJ’, an online LPG connection scheme last week in 13 cities, including Hyderabad.
- Proposal to introduce 2 kg and 5 kg cylinders
- Presently, 27,000 refills in the domestic market get diverted every month
Hyderabad: People involved in the unauthorised sale of cooking gas (LPG) cylinders, including non-standardised small-sized cylinders, are feeling the jitters ever since the Government of India launched ‘SAHAJ’, an online LPG connection scheme last week in 13 cities, including Hyderabad.Under the scheme, a new connection is issued within 48 hours. It is being introduced to cater to the weaker income groups who buy 2kg, 3kg and 5kg cylinders in the black market. Meanwhile, the black marketers are worried that they might lose out on income. Raju, (name changed on request), a resident of Warasiguda says, “In a way we are doing free service by providing small cylinders. The migrant labourers and people coming from other States do not have connections.”
Under the Deepam scheme, a person cannot transfer his connection from one district to another. Whereas, under the SAHAJ scheme a person can opt for a new connection provided he adheres to cash transfer compliance. It is the migrant labourers, construction workers, students and financially weaker families who opt for small cylinders which they pick up from the neighbourhood kirana store.
Black marketers illegally fill LPG from big cylinders to smaller ones into 2kg, 3kg and 5kg bottles and sell them at a huge profit. According to an estimate, there are close to 30 centres in the city where pilferage takes place and there are about 100 odd players involved in the illegal activity.
Kishore of Bharat Petroleum Corporation, one of the state-level coordinators for Telangana says, “The central government is introducing the SAHAJ scheme with a good intention and aims at bringing in the weaker sections of the society into the fold.
The scheme should eliminate the unauthorised sale of LPG to a great extent.”According to a survey, 27,000 refills (14.2 kg cylinders) get diverted to the black market every month. A 5kg cylinder in the commercial market is priced at Rs 331 in Hyderabad, but is sold at Rs 100 per kg. The Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts put together have 26 lakh connections, and 13 lakh refills take place every month.
By:T P Venu
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