Subsidized LPG quota for current fiscal - 3

GANGTOK, 01 Oct: The State Trading Corporation of Sikkim, in a general notice for the interest if LPG consumers across the State, informs that the Ministry of Petroleum, Government of India, in pursuance of the ceiling of 6 subsidised cylinders per year imposed by it per household, has fixed the quota on number of cylinders under subsidized category for this financial year i.e. till March 2013 at three cylinders per household.
Households taking any more than three cylinders before March 2013 will have to pick up the additional cylinders under the non-subsidized category. When procued within a 10 km radius of the distributor’s godown, a subsidized LPG refill costs Rs. 430; the same under the non-subsidized rate will cost Rs. 952 as per price fixed by the Food & Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department.
Needless to add, the two levels of pricing also require more detailed documentation which has already sent consumers across the State in a tizzy as they try and get their LPG blue books transferred.
The STCS notice explains that distributors are now required to maintain detailed records on all consumers. The notice also recognizes that STCS being the oldest LPG distributor in the State, most of the consumers across Sikkim still hold STCS bluebooks even though they are already lifting their refills from other distributors. The price differential tied to amount of consumption now requires for these blueblooks to be updated properly and this will require transfer to proper distributors.
“It is at this backdrop, mandatory that such consumers must apply for TTV alongwith blue-book and SVR with the STCS to get their connections transferred to their respective distributors falling under their locality / area of operation as demarcated by the M/s. IOCL in order to enable the consumers / distributors to smoothly avail the above subsidized cylinders,” the STCS notice details.
Consumers are also mandatorily required fill and submit “Know Your Consumer” (KYC) forms for registration and allocation of individual consumer numbers and its subsequent authentication “which would perhaps have multiple purposes particularly for the purpose of applying ration card, etc”. This shall also facilitate the smooth implementation of the new mechanism in ensuring the consumers that they receive the subsidized refill cylinders as per ceiling without any hindrances.
Further, to make the matter easier and convenience for the consumers, the Corporation shall provide coupons and Know Your Consumer (KYC) forms obtainable from the STCS office or from any of its LPG distribution team at the time of refilling, the notice informs.
“No subsidized cylinders shall thenceforth be issued without producing such coupons and blue-books. It is therefore now mandatory that all our consumers produce or posses their valid Blue-Books alongwith the said coupons for availing the refilling of cylinders as per the above quota under subsidized category,” the notice stresses.
The notice further requests that consumers, who possess “block connection” surrender the same and apply for individual connection.