NOC delays consumer card distribution

KATHMANDU, APR 23: 

The consumer card distribution process has been delayed and now will begin from the beginning of May only.

Nepal Oil Corporation has not completed the verification process of dealers yet, according to former president of Nepal Petroleum Dealers’ National Association Gyaneshwar Aryal.

“The dealer verification process will take at least five more days,” he said, adding that some 1,690 dealers have approached the association for verification till date. “The association has expected that some 2,000 dealers will approach Nepal Oil Corporation for registration in Kathmandu valley.”

All the 2,000 dealers will simultaneously distribute consumer cards from the beginning of May, he added. The association had announced that it will start the distribution of consumer cards for general consumers from April 18. It had also provided a consumer card to prime minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai on April 17.

NOC will once again fail to meet its deadline, said secretary at the ministry of commerce and supplies Lal Mani Joshi. “The corporation had said that it would finish distributing the consumer cards in 15 days by the end of April.”

Dealers of all LPG bottling plants must approach the corporation to formally register and verify dealers, secretary Joshi said, adding that bottling plants who fail to register dealers will face action.

Minister for commerce and supplies Lekh Raj Bhatta has already directed all the bottling plants to help the government in keeping records of cooking gas dealers. “The corporation will take action against those who do not submit details of their dealership,” he added.

The government has expected to separate general consumers and industrial consumers soon with the implementation of consumer cards. It will provide red cards to general consumers and blue cards to industrial consumers.

However, the government’s plan of launching gas cylinders with separate weight has not been implemented for the time being. The government had planned to launch a separate 19-kg blue colour cylinder for industrial use but later it backtracked from its decision and said it will ask the bottling plants to only change the colour of cooking gas for industrial purpose, which will help domestic consumers as industrial consumers are getting all the benefit. Currently, consumers use a 14.2-kg red colour cooking gas cylinder.

Source: THT