Sharma reviews LPG stocks, supply chain during Bari Brahmana visit

Jammu, Mar 31: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, IT, Transport, Youth Services & Sports, and Science & Technology, Satish Sharma on Tuesday conducted an extensive inspection of LPG bottling plants being operated by the Indian Oil Corporation Limited and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited at Bari Brahmana.

He reaffirmed government’s commitment towards ensuring seamless availability of essential commodities to the public.

During his visit, the Minister, as per an official statement, carried out a comprehensive on-ground assessment of plant operations, including cylinder filling processes, storage facilities, safety protocols, and dispatch systems. He interacted with the senior officials, plant managers and field staff to gain first-hand insight into operational efficiency and challenges, if any, being faced at the ground level.

Sharma reviewed in detail the current stock position of LPG cylinders and evaluated the daily bottling capacity of both plants. He was informed that the plants are functioning at optimal capacity and are being adequately equipped to cater to the growing demand across Jammu and surrounding regions.

A significant focus of the inspection was on the supply chain logistics, particularly the movement of LPG from major supply hubs in Bathinda and Jalandhar.

The officials briefed the Minister about the streamlined transportation mechanism and real-time monitoring systems in place to ensure timely replenishment of stocks.

Oil Marketing Company officials informed the Minister that digital measures like online booking, e-KYC and Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) validation have been implemented to curb black marketing and hoarding of LPG cylinders, ensuring refills reach the genuine beneficiaries.

The Minister emphasized the importance of maintaining a robust and responsive supply chain, especially in view of fluctuating demand patterns.

Expressing satisfaction over the overall functioning, Sharma underscored the need for constant vigilance and proactive planning. He directed the concerned authorities to maintain sufficient buffer stocks at all times and besides strengthening the coordination between bottling plants, transport networks and distribution agencies to avoid any potential bottlenecks.

“LPG is an essential household commodity and ensuring its uninterrupted availability is a core responsibility of the government. We will not tolerate any disruption in supply, nor will we allow any malpractice such as hoarding, black marketing or artificial scarcity,” the Minister asserted firmly.

He further instructed the enforcement teams of the FCS&CA Department to remain vigilant and take strict action against any violations in the market. Stressing transparency and accountability, Sharma called for leveraging technology to enhance tracking and monitoring of LPG distribution right up to the consumer level.

The Minister also reviewed safety standards at the plants and directed the officials to ensure strict adherence to all prescribed safety norms to safeguard both the workers and infrastructure. He appreciated the efforts of the staff in maintaining high operational standards and urged them to continue working with dedication and efficiency.

Reiterating the government’s people-centric approach, Sharma assured that all necessary measures are being taken to strengthen the supply chain and ensure that no consumer faces inconvenience in accessing LPG.

Senior officers from the FCS&CA Department besides representatives of IOCL and HPCL, accompanied the Minister during the visit.