Naveen for LPG dealership to women SHGs

BHUBANESWAR: Welcoming the initiative of the Centre for LPG distribution in rural areas, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has requested the intervention of Petroleum and Natural Gas ministry for allotment of LPG dealership to economically-viable women self-help groups (WSHGs) directly.In a letter to the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas S Jaipal Reddy, the Chief Minister also requested him to remove the present distance restriction imposed by oil marketing companies for LPG distribution and new connections.Stating that the WSHG movement has gained momentum in Odisha under the Mission Shakti, Naveen said the Orissa Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) has been actively working as a facilitator for marketing their products.ORMAS took an initiative for marketing of LPG in rural areas through the WSHGs in Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Sundargarh and Mayurbhanj districts under the Shakti Gaon project. The objective of the project is to provide additional source of income to the WSHGs through marketing of LPGs, he said.As envisaged in the scheme, the district supply and marketing society (DSMS), a district unit of ORMAS, has been given LPG leadership. The WSHGs are functioning as shakti retailers (extension counter) on behalf of DSMS. The Shakti Gaon project is a joint venture of IOCL/BPCL and DSMS.The Chief Minister said the State Government has provided all logistic support to the WSHGs in shape of infrastructure, revolving fund and bank loan. Referring to the launching of a new scheme Rajiv Gandhi Gramin LPG Vitrak by the Ministry, Naveen said there is no provision under the scheme to give distributorship directly to the WSHGs either operating on their own or those operating under Shakti Gaon project.Moreover, restrictions have been imposed by the oil marketing companies on the SHGs limiting their area of operation to 15-km radius for delivering LPG cylinders. As a result, the DSMS, which has been operating its extension counters through the SHGs beyond 15 km radius, has been put to inconvenience, he said.