TDP’s gas connection scheme runs into problem

While launching the programme before the general elections, the Government announced that all the 10 lakh connections would be issued within three months but only 4.39 lakh families have been provided with the facility so far. Now, a fresh deadline of March 30 is set for releasing the remaining connections.

Meeting this deadline too seems unlikely as the State-level Oil Coordination Committee (SLOCC), which allocates gas quota, has decided to sanction only about two lakh connections for the scheme by the second week of this month.

But what is more worrying the Government is that the gas connections are ultimately passing into the hands of ineligible persons in rural as well as urban areas.

The beneficiaries are selected by the district collectors from among members of the DWACRA gorups. Coming from the lowest strata of the society, they are, however, not in a position to enjoy the benefit extended by the government for two reasons–no money to purchase the stove (the Government pays the oil company Rs 1,000 for only the connection) and the attraction of making quick money by selling away the connection.

A senior official involved in the scheme’s implementation admitted that the connections were being sold away in the market but felt that it cannot be controlled in the absence of an effective mechanism.

The other tricky situation is the slash in kerosene quota consequent on sanction of gas connections by the Central government. As per the agreement between the State and Centre, the State Government has to surrender five litres of kerosene per gas connection. Accordingly, the kerosene quota for Andhra Pradesh, which was 72,800 kilo liters per month, has been cut down by 1,930 kilo litres. And those given gas connection under the Deepam scheme have not been firmly told that they would not be entitled to kerosene henceforth!

“By providing them with just one cylinder, we cannot totally stop supply of kerosene as they continue to use the cheaper fuel,” a civil supplies corporation official remarked adding that complaints have already started pouring in over shortage of kerosene.

Compounding the problem, the bad financial situation of the State government is also dogging the programme. The Government has deposited Rs 45 crore with the various oil companies up to January end. But for getting the remaining five lakh connections by March, it has to deposit Rs 55 crore more, which appears difficult given the tight ways and means position.

As if these are not enough, absence of an effective distribution network in rural areas is proving to be a major handicap. Of the total 1,100 mandals, only 475 mandals are fully covered by distributors of public sector oil companies while 270 are partly covered, leaving the remaining mandals uncovered. “Unless there are agents in all mandals, it is not possible to meet the targets,” an official complained.

Realising the lacunae, the Government is contemplating to issue licences to the civil supplies corporation for 67 mandals and the Girijan corporation for another 17 this month. Still a large number of mandals would remain without a proper distribution network.

The private gas companies, which, right from the beginning, were eager to take part in the scheme, have a vast network in rural areas. But they have been kept at bay by the Government all along. “The government has grossly underplayed the importance of distribution network in such a massive programme which defies logic,” a private gas company official remarked.