Standard Post with Image

‘Oil Companies Violating RGGLV Norms in Valley'

  • The Valley-based cooking gas dealers have accused the oil companies IOCL, BPCL and HPCL of violating the norms provided under Rajiv Gandhi Gramin LPG Vitarak (RGGLV) for increasing LPG penetration in the state. A group of dealers told Greater Kashmir that as per the RGGLV, any advertisement under the scheme for allotment of retail outlets is to be issued in two vernacular newspapers— one with widest circulation in the state and  other with widest circulation in the district in which RGGLV is to be setup. The dealers alleged that the oil companies have recently deliberately published advertisements under RGGLV scheme in newspapers which are little known in the state so as to accommodate the “chosen ones”.
  •  A dealer wishing anonymity told Greater Kashmir: “Restricting the advertisement only to little known papers points to rampant corruption in allotting LPG retail outlets in the state.” “Since the norms are violated while issuing licenses to outlets, the companies prefer to issue the ads to little known newspapers,” he said. He alleged that the companies also find support from some government officials. When contacted Divisional Manager of the Indian Oil Corporation RK Shahab said: “It is the corporates who decide in which newspaper the advertisement should come. It has nothing to do with the favouritism or giving contracts to any blue eyed persons.”
  •  Shahab refused to comment on the allegations made by the dealers. To mention, RGGLV provides for making LPG available in rural areas. The RGGLV is set up for a group/cluster of villages having a potential of average monthly (refill) sale of 600 cylinders. The RGGLV is operated by a proprietor along with one staff member. According to scheme RGGLV distributor should have a godown that would be sufficient to store minimum 300 filled cylinders to accommodate full truckload.

Source