Quota System Imposed on Commercial Cylinders in MP: How Much Will Hotels, Restaurants, and Caterers Get?
Bhopal: The supply of LPG into the country is being disrupted due to ongoing conflicts involving the US, Israel, and Iran. Consequently, the Madhya Pradesh government has also begun exercising caution regarding this matter.
In this context, the state government implemented a quota system for commercial gas cylinders across the state starting Monday. The state government has established a priority order to determine which entities will receive how many cylinders.
In this regard, the Department of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Protection has written to all District Collectors, issuing directives to organize the allocation of commercial LPG in accordance with this new framework.
Top priority to educational and medical institutions
Under the new system, educational and medical institutions have been accorded the highest priority in LPG allocation. These institutions are set to receive a 30 percent share of the allocation.
Simultaneously, care has been taken to ensure that commercial cylinders are also made available to hotels, restaurants, dhabas (roadside eateries), and street vendors. This measure aims to prevent any disruption to their operations and ensure they have access to the cylinders necessary to sustain their businesses. According to the new arrangement, hotels will receive 9 percent of the allocation, restaurants and caterers will receive 9 percent, while dhabas and street vendors will receive 7 percent of the commercial cylinders.
Measures to prevent hoarding
The Department has also implemented robust measures to prevent hoarding. Under these provisions—aimed at both curbing hoarding and ensuring equitable distribution for all—the daily quantity supplied to each consumer will be determined based on their average consumption over the preceding three months, as recorded in the respective OMC (Oil Marketing Company) software systems. Additionally, it has been decided that pending requirements under each priority category shall be fulfilled—subject to availability—as expeditiously as possible, ideally by the very next day.