25 Nov, Kathmandu:
Minister for Commerce and Supplies, Ganeshman Pun, has said that although there was shortage of cooking gas and petroleum products, there was enough stock of salt and food stuffs.
During today’s meeting of Social Justice and Human Rights Committee under the Legislature-Parliament, Minister Pun said, “An arrangement has been made for giving priority to the vehicles carrying medicines, water, garbage, as well as vehicles of police and school viewing the situation of stock of petroleum products.”
He said that there was stock of petroleum products only for emergency while there was no problem in food stuffs.
Minister Pun said, “There is stock of salt that would be enough for seven months. There is also stock of edible oil and pulses but works are underway to make monitoring effective as complaints are increasing over price hike on it.”
The Supplies Minister said that there was actuate shortage of cooking gas and it was very challenging to address 85 per cent demand of cooking gas as only 10 per cent, out of the total demand of cooking gas, is being imported.
He further said that a monitoring committee has been formed with a hotline at Ministry, Department of Ministry and Supply and Nepal Oil Corporation to take stuck regarding quantity of imported petroleum products and its distribution.
Stating that the bodies concerned has started taking action against those involved in black marketing and discussion was underway to make arrangement of identity cards to make supplies systematic, Minister Pun informed the meeting that study and discussion was underway how to get petroleum products from China in an easy manner.
He informed the meeting that feasibility study and discussion was also underway to import petroleum products from Bangladesh and other globe countries.
Commerce and Supplies Secretary Ngaendra Prasad Upadhyay said that the monitoring carried out that follows public complaints about rampant black marketing of essentials and petroleum products, following the blockade and ongoing protest in the Tarai, has positive results.
“We have enough essentials like rice and salt in store. However, there are complaints of skyrocketing prices of edible oil and pulses in the market and that store of petroleum products is being depleting. Available efforts are being made to ensure smooth supply and distribution of stored essentials,” he said.
In the meeting, the committee members, however, drew attention of the government about the failure of informing people of its continuous efforts to ensure supply of essentials and of predicaments being faced by the people due to the black marketing of essentials and petroleum products.
They stressed on the need for entrusting security personnel like Nepal Army with responsibility to open the track leading up to Tatopani border with China so as to ensure smooth import of fuel from China at the earliest.
The meeting also decided to urge Indian government towards helping Nepalis already suffered by devastating April 25 earthquake, by lifting the unofficial blockade by India. RSS
