Many cities in Rajasthan witness queues for LPG cylinders; govt assures adequate stocks

The Rajasthan government on Friday reassured people of adequate arrangements for maintaining the normal and timely supply of LPG cylinders to the needy even as people queued up outside gas agency godowns in several towns, including the state capital, fearing a shortage.

The Opposition Congress took to the streets in several districts across the state, protesting the Centre’s alleged mishandling of the crisis and demanding adequate availability of LPG cylinders and a rollback of the price hike.

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Civil Supplies Minister Sumit Godara reiterated that the state has an adequate stock of LPG cylinders and that supplies would be maintained in a timely manner, ensuring that no domestic consumer remains unserved.

However, as a precautionary measure, the Centre has released a special allocation of around 40 lakh litres of kerosene to be distributed to the needy through the PDS, if required. If the situation arises, it would be the first time in nearly a decade that kerosene would be supplied through the PDS since its withdrawal from the system in 2016-17.

“Please, shun worry and don’t panic unnecessarily. Moreover, don’t pay attention to rumours or rumour mongers”, he advised.

Authorities in the Civil Supplies department and the district administration have been regularly reviewing the situation and conducting raids at field locations to foil any attempt at hoarding or black marketing.

In Jaipur district alone, four special teams have been constituted to keep tabs on the sale of cylinders at dealers’ outlets in urban areas, while an equal number of vigilance teams have been deployed in rural areas of the district to regulate sales.

Meanwhile, police were called to a gas agency in Kota city after a large number of consumers lined up in long queues with empty cylinders, with some confronting each other amid fears of black marketing. Similar scenes of long queues were witnessed in several towns and cities, including Jaipur, Ajmer, Alwar, Neem ka Thana and Baran.

As per its announced programme, the Congress held demonstrations and rallies in several towns, including Jaipur, Ajmer, Sriganganagar and Bikaner, on Friday.

In Jaipur, the party held a demonstration in Chandpol Bazar, staged a dharna at Sanjay Circle and burnt an effigy symbolising the central government. Similar agitation programmes were organised outside the district collectorates in Sriganganagar, Bikaner and Sawai Madhopur.