Subsidy on kerosene being misused: Lok Sewa Club Khanna

Khanna, April 28, 2015: Subsidy on kerosene given by Centre Government to facilitate the poor men is allegedly being misused by some depot holders through non-eligible beneficiaries on a very large scale. As per government rules subsidized kerosene cannot be issued to the ration card holders who are using subsidized domestic LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), whereas, depot holders are showing distribution of subsidized kerosene freely against those consumers also who are availing facility of subsidized domestic LPG which is totally illegal. 

PD Bansal, President, Lok Sewa Club Khanna, addressing a press conference here said that misuse of kerosene subsidy results misappropriation of huge government money and shortage of subsidized kerosene to the poor as per their need. 

Bansal said, it is very surprising and astonishing that information obtained under RTI form PIOs concerned to some ration depots of district Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Patiala, Barnala and Bathinda reveals that the said department never conducted any survey regarding eligible beneficiaries for subsidized kerosene supply and they have no such records. Department didn’t know that how many eligible consumers for subsidized kerosene are covered by a ration depot holder. It proves that there is no transparency in distribution of subsidized kerosene and subsidy on kerosene is being misused on a very large scale.

Further, Bansal said that sale record of some ration depot holders concerned to above mentioned districts obtained under RTI shows that depot holders are consuming their total allotted kerosene supply regularly in the name of majority of their attached consumers including non-eligible consumers, whereas, consumers eligible for subsidized kerosene who are not using domestic LPG shall be definitely less if the concerned department conducts a complete survey of the consumers as per rules. He added that only after a complete survey of the eligible consumers for subsidized kerosene a check can be put on the misuse of kerosene subsidy and the needy consumers will be facilitated as per their need of kerosene consumption. 

Bansal said that complaints were given by number of consumers to their  NGO regarding non distribution of kerosene by the depot holder from the last several years and their NGO raised the issue and concerned department conducted a thorough inquiry and found that depot holder has violated the rules and regulations framed under “The Punjab public distribution system (Licensing/Control) order 2003 and department suspended the supply of essential commodities of the depot holder till further order. It appears that oil is being consumed against non eligible consumers and the subsidized kerosene is being sold in grey market which results in misuse of subsidy on kerosene. Per litter price of kerosene in the grey market is being told app.Rs. 65 whereas, the government price at fair price shops is just Rs.15 per litter. 

Bansal said to initiate a complete survey of the eligible consumers and to stop the illegal distribution of subsidized kerosene by the depot holders, we have written to the concerned higher authorities but if the authorities didn’t take appropriate action, the matter would be put before the Court through a public interest litigation (PIL). The matter has also been brought into the notice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, through a written appeal and a high level investigation has been demanded in concern of this very sensitive matter.