Kathmandu. Salt Trading Corporation Limited has started filling gas in its 'STC cylinders' in collaboration with private gas companies to facilitate the supply of cooking gas.
After the Trishuli river completely blocked the Prithviraj road last Sunday at Krishnabhir in Dhading, the corporation has taken a policy to fill its STC cylinders in the private gas company's gas plant and bring it to Kathmandu.
Due to the blockage of the highway, the corporation's LPG plant at Dhading Jugekhola has also been affected. After it was not possible to get gas bullets to its plant, the Corporation immediately made arrangements to fill their empty cylinders with gas in their empty cylinders and bring them into the valley through an alternative route in collaboration with Manoj and Baba Gas's "plants" which are conveniently located in other private sectors.
Bajresh Jha, the Assistant Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, informed that the Corporation has adopted this policy in order to prevent the shortage of gas to the consumers, taking into account the situation of extreme natural disasters.
He said, "In the first phase, their gas cylinders filled in the two private plants will arrive in Kathmandu by Friday." The corporation has also 'diverted' some of the gas bullets left for its gas plant to those private companies.
Limited Quota : Agile Distribution System
Even though Nepal Oil Corporation has granted low quota or 'PEO' permission to the corporation, it is not able to sell enough gas even if it wants to. It is said that the corporation has signed a contract with the Indian Oil Corporation for a total of 3,000 gas bullets.
Out of that, about two percent i.e. 53 'bullets' will belong to the corporation. It is said that the Corporation is currently consuming 55,000 to 60,000 SDC cylinders per month.
The private sector gas companies have been facing problems due to the Gulf crisis, the recent blockage of the Prithviraj highway and other issues. The corporation is currently facilitating sales and distribution through the coupon system. Assistant Chief Executive Officer Jha said, "We ensure that the consumers receive the gas when the coupons are distributed."
Iodized salt 'stock' for six months
The government's policy of providing easy access to iodized salt to the common people and the corporation that implements it literally has kept a stock of salt for up to six months.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer Zha informed that there is 127 thousand 361 metric tons of salt in the storage of the Corporation on Wednesday 17th of August. According to him, the demand for iodized salt is more than 200,000 tons annually. The corporation sold and distributed about 200,000 tons of salt last year.
'Iodine' is an ultra-fine nutrient that the body does not need on a daily basis. The government is urging the salt with the two children symbol saying 'Eat a little, eat the right amount'.
Consumerists have been raising their voice that since salt is an essential commodity, it should be kept within the government's policy and the private sector should not be allowed to enter its sale and distribution. Their argument is that "the private sector cannot provide easy supply of salt in different situations. The corporation has proven itself as an excellent organization in terms of what role should be played by the public organization in the disaster and other uncomfortable situations."
Market intervention in sugar
On the other hand, the corporation has intervened in the market by making the distribution of sugar, which has been continuously increasing in the international market, tight in recent days.
Sugar Corporation, which is selling up to Rs. 135 per kg from the private sector, is selling it at Rs. 100. According to the information given by the corporation, only on August 9, the organization had imported 600 tons of sugar. The organization has been selling sugar as per the government policy. In recent days, the corporation has sent three thousand tons to the market.
In the daily market, the prices of commodities such as rice, pulses, pulses, oil etc. are constantly rising, but the corporation has managed to keep the prices of the food it is selling and distributing stable.
Assistant Chief Executive Officer Jha said, "The goal of the government-owned private corporation is to provide daily essential commodities including salt and other food items continuously even in uncomfortable conditions. Not just for profit." It seems that the role and inevitability of public organizations will increase even more in times of disaster.
National News Committee is the official news organization of Nepal.
