Naidu constitutes GoM to oversee Gulf war issues, LPG supply

Vijayawada: Chief minister Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday constituted a group of ministers (GoM) to oversee and co-ordinate the issues arising out of the Gulf war situation. Naidu reviewed the LPG stock position and supply arrangements with district collectors. The civil supplies secretary Saurabh Gaur informed that there were no shortages anywhere in the state at present, but the oil distribution companies were maintaining stocks sufficient for five days only.To keep track of market trends affecting LPG and horticulture products, the govt set up a committee of ministers comprising Nadendla Manohar, Achchennaidu and Payyavula Keshav. Naidu instructed that officials of all departments concerned should continuously monitor the situation through RTGS and submit reports to the govt. During the review, the chief minister said LPG supplies to schools and hospitals must remain uninterrupted. He directed officials to stay in touch with the Centre to ensure the state did not face any constraints. Any disruptions triggered by the war should be addressed immediately, he said.Naidu asked district collectors to identify alternative markets for commodities such as eggs and bananas and maintain vigilance to prevent LPG cylinders from being diverted into the black market. He told officials to stay alert and prepared for any situation.The state currently has 1.61 crore domestic LPG connections and 10 lakh commercial connections. HPCL, IOCL and BPCL supply LPG to Andhra Pradesh, which has a daily demand of 4,000 metric tonnes for domestic connections and 2,000 metric tonnes for commercial connections. The combined stock available with the companies stands at 21,505 metric tonnes.