Preparation of double cylinder and price again on gas

Consumers do not get refunds. In order to give relief to the general public, the homework has been done to apply double price after getting more facilities to the businessmen of hotels, restaurants and industrial purposes.

According to LP Gas Industry Association, there are 59 gas industries across the country. There are about one and a half million gas cylinders in that industry. About 33 lakh cylinders are consumed monthly. About 70 percent of the number of cylinders available is consumed by households and 30 percent by commercial purposes. Even though VAT refunds have come from lakhs of cylinders used for commercial purposes, the general public has not been exempted. In view of this issue, the corporation has said that it is trying to implement double price on gas again. The corporation is in loss due to gas. According to the Deputy Executive Director of the Corporation, Birendra Goit, there is a loss of Rs 325.9 per cylinder in gas. In 15 days, there has been a loss of around 53 crores. In view of this, he said that even though the general public is given a discount, the cylinder used for commercial purposes is sold at a pearl price.

"The corporation gives the first priority to the consumer, it should be given to the consumer at a lower price than the pearl price," Goit said, "For that, discussions are ongoing on various modalities." The system used by India is to buy and sell at pearl prices and refund the subsidy immediately after the purchase. But for that everyone has to open an account. Nepal does not have that system, it is complicated.'

Another option is to sell it to the general public at Rs 1910 per cylinder and sell it to hoteliers, companies etc. at a pearl price. "However, how to control and monitor fraud, this is a challenge," he said. The discussion on this issue has been intensified. However, the issue of double price will go ahead.

It is not that the corporation had not planned to implement red and blue cylinders but it failed. About a decade ago, the corporation planned to implement consumer cards. The then supply minister Lekhraj Bhatt said that industries, factories, hotels will use blue and red cylinders for household purposes. A gas card was already printed for that. The Gas Sellers Federation took about 80 lakh rupees from the corporation to print the cards. After printing the cards, the corporation had certified 620,000 cards and given them to the gas sellers. The gas seller has collected Rs 62 lakh from the general public by selling it at Rs 10 per card. But the card was not implemented, the public's money was not returned.

Only last year, the then Industry, Commerce and Supply Minister Dilendra Prasad Badu also said that different prices will be maintained for gas for domestic and commercial use. He insisted on applying pearl prices by separating household and commercial purposes. For that, a sub-committee was formed under the coordination of a member of the Board of Directors of Oil Corporation. In a press conference organized by the Corporation on June 6, the then Executive Director Umesh Prasad Thani also said that two types of prices will be determined soon. He soon insisted on double pricing of gas based on smell, color and size. He said that he would insist on using gas cylinders from 5 kg to 400 kg, not only red and blue cylinders.

Now the executive director of the corporation is Chandika Prasad Bhatt. He also emphasized on double price. He said that double pricing will benefit the corporation as well as consumers and businessmen. The color of the cylinder does not matter, the current cylinder for common people and a large cylinder for industrial purposes can also be implemented. It can also be sold by setting up a separate company under the corporation. There are 7/8 options for double price," Executive Director Bhatt said, "We will move forward after discussing with all parties including the Gas Industry Association, former Executive Director, former Vice Chairman of the Planning Commission, bankers, and implement the best option."

Bhatt said that household and commercial cylinders are essential to reduce the corporation's losses. According to him, the most suitable option would be a 450 kg gas cylinder for industrial purposes. Quality and Weights Department recognized NS quality as the best option. It can be sold to the industry by keeping the pearl price and 10 percent profit on it,' he said, 'in the second phase, it can also be applied to hotel restaurants.' But for that, the corporation should change its regulations, he says. "For industrial purposes, small cylinders are not suitable, large ones are needed. In the case of 450 kg cylinders, the quality department is working by forming a committee. The report is in the process of preparation, that's why there should be no haste," said Ghimire, "but 450 kg is reasonable for the industry. Now in the regulations of the corporation, it is said that the cylinder of 14.2 kg should be amended.'