(a) whether the Government has invited new tenders to open more LPG agencies in Cooch Behar and Barasat in West Bengal to meet the demand of the public ;
(b) if so, the details thereof ; and
(c) the time by which the new agencies are likely to be set up ?
MINISTER OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS & PANCHAYATI RAJ ( SHRI MANI SHANKAR AIYAR )
(a) & (b) : Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) advertised LPG distributorships in Cooch Behar, West Bengal in January, 2004. Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) also plans to commission LPG distributorships at two locations namely, Mekhliganj and Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar District. At present, there is no proposal for setting up LPG distributorship at Barasat.
(c) : LPG distributorships are set up by Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in accordance with their commercial considerations. The commissioning of LPG distributorships depends upon various factors such as identification of viable locations, release of advertisements, conducting interviews, ability of the candidate to secure land for godown, showroom etc. In view of this, it is not possible to indicate a time frame for commissioning distributorships at the locations referred to (a) above.