Consumer card distribution to start

KATHMANDU, FEB 05: 

Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has asked Nepal Gas Dealers Federation to start consumer card distribution process from tomorrow.

The consumer card for domestic users will ensure subsidised rate for the cooking gas, according to Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS) that has already announced the colour separation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) will be implemented from February 12, said spokesperson at the corporation Shiva Prasad Pudasaini.

Consumer card distribution is necessary before implementing the decision, he said, adding that dealers will provide separate cards to domestic users and industrial users. “Industrial consumers cannot purchase domestic cylinder once the provision will be implemented.”

Nepal Gas Dealers Federation, however, said that the implementation of the plan is not as easy as the ministry and corporation have been claiming. 

“Nepal Oil Corporation has completed verification of only 50,000 firms — out of 500,000 firms submitted by the federation — of consumers so far, said acting president of the federation Arjun Prasad Devkota. “It takes months to complete the verification process,” he said, adding that the dealers’ verification process is yet to be completed.”

The government plan of introducing separate colour cooking gas cylinders — red for domestic and blue for industrial use — has been postponed twice since last June. 

Despite repeated direction from the Office of the Prime Minister, the ministry and NOC to implement dual colour LPG cylinders for domestic and commercial use, it has not been materialised so far.