Government Mobilizes 21 States to Tackle LPG Misinformation
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
New Delhi, April 4 (NationPress) On Saturday, the government announced that 21 states and union territories are actively disseminating and executing press briefings aimed at effectively addressing misinformation and assuring citizens of the adequate availability and smooth distribution of LPG.
The administration has urged the Chief Secretaries of all States/UTs to enhance proactive and regular public communication, conduct daily press briefings at suitable senior levels, and ensure timely sharing of accurate information through both social and electronic media to combat misinformation surrounding LPG.
According to a statement from the Petroleum Ministry, under the Essential Commodities Act of 1955 and LPG Control Order of 2000, state governments hold the authority to take action against any form of hoarding and black marketing.
The ministry emphasized that States/UTs play a crucial role in monitoring and regulating the supply of essential commodities, including petrol, diesel, and LPG.
The Central government has reiterated this directive through several letters and video conferences with all states and union territories.
Simultaneously, enforcement actions are ongoing across various states/UTs to investigate hoarding and black marketing activities concerning LPG. Yesterday alone, over 3,700 raids were executed.
“Officials from PSU OMCs have been instructed to fortify the surprise inspection system to prevent any occurrences of hoarding or black marketing. To date, 1,000 show cause notices have been issued to LPG distributorships, and 27 distributorships have been suspended,” the ministry reported.
States are encouraged to establish daily press briefings and issue regular public advisories, set up dedicated control rooms or helplines, actively monitor and refute fake news or misinformation on social media, and enhance daily enforcement operations by District administrations in collaboration with OMCs.
Additionally, they are called upon to issue Commercial LPG allocation orders within their jurisdictions, expedite CGD expansion, promote PNG adoption and alternative fuels, and appoint senior nodal officers for coordination with MoPNG.
Furthermore, the ministry noted that online bookings for LPG cylinders surged to 95 percent on an industry-wide basis yesterday, and approximately 51 lakh domestic LPG cylinders were delivered on Friday.