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Kathmandu,Wednesday January 12, 2000 Paush 28th, 2056.
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NOC
plans dual price for kerosene
-By a Post
Reporter
KATHMANDU, Jan 11
- Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) is preparing to introduce dual pricing system in the
distribution of kerosene.
NOC’s plan to
introduce the dual pricing through ration card system is at the final stage and will be
implemented after the cabinet endorses the Corporation’s proposal.
Addressing the
30th annual general meeting of the Corporation held here Monday, Raj Krishna Amatya,
Chairman of the NOC Board said, “As per the directives of the cabinet, NOC has sent a
report to the Ministry of Supplies,” said the president of the working committee of
NOC Raj Krishna Amatya.
“To supply
kerosene at a subsidized price to the targetted group, ration card system will be
established soon,” said Minister for Supplies Prakash Man Singh.
The corporation is
introducing the ration card system to ensure the distribution of kerosene to the targetted
group and curb the increasing misuse of kerosene as an alternative source of energy by
industrial sector. Currently, NOC is subsidizing the prices of kerosene by Rs 3.37 per
litre. Following the hike of electricity tariff by 25 percent few months back, industrial
sector is increasingly substituting the consumption of power with kerosene.
Justifying the
rationale behind the introduction of ration card system, Amatya said, “The use of
subsidized kerosene intended to the general public by the industrial sector has bloated
the costs of the corporation considerably.”
This is, however,
not for the first time that ration card system is being introduced to distribute kerosene.
It was temporarily introduced in 1989 during the trade and transit impasse with India,
which created huge shortage of daily commodities including kerosene. However, the
rationing system was abolished after the stalemate was over and status quo was maintained
with India following the establishment of multiparty democracy in 1990.
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