Kathmandu. Speaking at the meeting of the Industry, Commerce, Labour and Consumers’ Welfare Committee of the House of Representatives today, lawmakers urged the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and its subordinate bodies to immediately resolve the problem of shortage of LP Gas across the country including in the Kathmandu Valley.

Taking part in the discussion on ‘Management of Supply of Cooking Gas’ held at Singha Durbar today, lawmakers demanded to address the shortage of cooking gas in the market immediately.

Committee Chair Rahbar Ansari said that the gas consumers and those used in hotels and industrial sectors should be separate as the shortage of cooking gas has been seen repeatedly. “Around seven hundred thousand gas cylinders are used for commercial and industrial purposes”, he said, adding, “All consumers have been getting the subsidy of Rs 938 per cylinder”. This concession is also available for industrial and commercial purposes. It is necessary to end this provision and make arrangements for separate gas for domestic and industrial purposes. ”

President Ansari said that the requirement of each gas cylinder should be mapped and data should be kept scientifically. Lawmaker Buddhi Prasad Panta stressed that the party leadership should play an effective role to ensure the supply of LPG cylinders to the general public on time.

Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Gauri Kumari said the ministry has been facilitating the supply of cooking gas. Secretary at the Ministry, Narayan Prasad Sharma Duwadi said that 50,000 metric tons of cooking gas is being imported every month and the problem of shortage of cooking gas seen in the market would end within a few days.

“Over 50,000 metric tons of cooking gas is being imported from India every month. Efforts are being made to resolve this problem within a few days. ”

According to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, 520 million 25 thousand 192 kilogrammes of LP gas was imported in the fiscal year 2082/83. In the fiscal year 2081/82, 554 million 12,698 kilogrammes of bullet gas were imported from July 1 to 17 of the fiscal year 2083/84.

Deepak Baral, officiating managing director of Nepal Oil Corporation, said that the government is trying to ease the supply by importing more than 50,000 metric tons of cooking gas in the past. “We are doing our best to solve the problem of gas shortage,” he said.

Nepal LP Gas Industry Association Chairperson Diwan Bahadur Chand said the supply of 14.2 kg gas would cost more if half a gas cylinder is supplied in the market and it would be easier to import 14.2 kg gas cylinder in the market. Gokul Bhandari, former president of Nepal LP Gas Industry Association, underscored the need for the government to systematize gas cylinders by implementing a mapping system.

Chairperson of the Consumer Rights Research Forum, Madhav Timilsina demanded that the government should provide cooking gas to all the consumers in an affordable price.