Er.energyNP@Gmail.com

Lawmakers attending today's meeting of the Industry, Commerce, Labour and Consumer Interest Committee under the House of Representatives, urged the line ministry and subordinate bodies to promptly address the shortage of cooking gas across the country including Kathmandu Valley.

During the discussion on the management of cooking gas supply, they wanted the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies to manage the situation.

Committee Chair Rahabar Ansari advised supplying cooking gas separately for house hold and commercial and industrial purposes. He pressed the need for limiting a subsidy of Rs 938 per cylinder on cooking gas just for household usage.

He was of the view of mapping the necessity of cooking gas cylinders and keeping their records scientifically.

In the meeting, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Gauri Kumari, said the Ministry is facilitating the supply of cooking gas.

Ministry Secretary Narayan Prasad Sharma Duwadi said monthly imports of cooking gas are around 50,000 metric tons, claiming that the shortage would end soon.

According to Nepal LP Gas Industry Association Chair Diwan Bahadur Chand, the supply of a half-cylinder of gas to the market is not practical as it increases both costs and ends soon. "It would be better to supply the full of cylinder of gas ( 14.2 kilos) to the market.

Nepal Oil Corporation Limited Officiating Managing Director Dipak Baral said in the past, the imports of average 47,000 metric tons of gas in a month were sufficient to address the demand. Efforts are on to import over 50,000 metric tons of cooking gas in a month.