(a) whether the Government is aware that domestic cooking gas distributors are creating
artificial scarcity of gas and charging more prices for gas cylinder ;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government would ensure the availability of cooking gas as per the requirement
in Karnataka ; and
(d) if so, the details thereof ?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)
(a) & (b) : Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have not detected any cases of creating artificial
scarcity by any of their LPG distributors. However, OMCs have detected 74 established cases of overcharging
of LPG against their LPG distributors in the country, out of which 6 cases were established in the State of
Karnataka between April – December, 2009. Action against all the erring distributors was taken as per
provisions of Marketing Discipline Guidelines (MDG).
(c) & (d) : OMCs have reported that at present, there is no overall shortage of LPG in the country including
the State of Karnataka and LPG supplies to distributors are being made by the OMCs through indigenous
production and imports in accordance with the genuine demand of customers registered with the LPG
distributors.
OMCs have reported that they have supplied 575.57 Thousand Metric Tonnes (TMT) of domestic LPG in the
State of Karnataka between April 2009 to January 2010 as against 537.89 TMT of domestic LPG during the
corresponding period of last year, showing a growth rate of 7.01%.