Chandigarh, Mar 28 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stood firmly by his fellow citizens on every front, be it the COVID-19 pandemic or the ongoing West Asia conflict, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday said.
Saini also accused the Congress and other opposition parties of politicising such crises.
On the supply of petroleum products in Haryana, Saini said they remain smooth and uninterrupted.
He expressed his gratitude to the prime minister for slashing excise duty on petrol to Rs 3 per litre and exempting diesel fully from the duty.
The relief has meant that it will help keep the fuel prices stable, he said.
“We all know that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stood firmly by his fellow citizens on every front, driven by an unwavering resolve to put ‘Nation First’,” Saini said at a press conference.
He said that it is the Opposition’s responsibility to cooperate at such times, but it are trying to mislead people.
Whether it was the COVID period, the current situation caused by West Asia conflict, or other challenging situations, the prime minister has united the country each time.
He added that Modi is in contact with global leaders to promote peace and protect India’s interests.
Saini said that the “Nation First” and “India First” policy has already shown results, including bringing back Indian citizens and ensuring the smooth passage of trade through the Strait of Hormuz, and now the reduction in excise duty is helping mitigate adverse impacts.
In Haryana, there is no shortage of petrol, diesel and gas, he said.
“I want to tell people that there is no need for any panic. They should not get into panic buying and not pay heed to any rumours, he said. We are regularly in touch with oil marketing companies and have been holding meetings with them,” Saini said.
There is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or cooking gas in the state and there is no need to panic, he said.
“People should avoid panic buying to prevent unnecessary pressure on the system,” he added.
War rooms have been set up at the state level under the chief secretary and at the district level under deputy commissioners to address public concerns, he said.
The CM warned those involved in black marketing and hoarding of petroleum products and said that strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty.
Saini informed that he has also personally held meetings with oil marketing companies, and the supply situation of petrol, diesel, and gas in the state is the same as it was four months ago. Adequate stock is available.
He said that there are 4,032 government petrol pumps, where on average 4,804 kilolitres of petrol and 12,003 kilolitres of diesel are sold.
On Friday, Saini took part in a virtual meeting of chief ministers with Modi.
In the meeting, he apprised the prime minister that the supply of petroleum products in Haryana is smooth and uninterrupted in the state.
To ensure uninterrupted gas supply, the state has also reduced the lease rent for laying PNG pipelines from Rs 3 lakh per kilometre for 10 years in advance to Rs 1,000 per kilometre as a one-time charge, benefiting both companies and consumers, Saini said.
Currently, Haryana has 28,377 kilometres of PNG pipeline. The state aims to achieve over 13.33 lakh PNG connections, out of which 5.59 lakh have been installed and 3.32 lakh are operational.
Work is underway to activate the remaining connections. The government has also introduced deemed permission to accelerate PNG expansion, and domestic connections are expected to double in the next three months, he said.
There are 586 CNG stations in the state, and pipeline expansion is progressing rapidly in districts such as Bhiwani, Palwal, Faridabad, Gurugram, Hisar, Jhajjar, Karnal, and Kaithal.
In terms of natural gas infrastructure, Haryana has strong pipeline networks, including a 455-km Chhainsa-Jhajjar-Hisar pipeline, a 921-km Dadri-Bawana-Nangal pipeline, and a 132-km Dadri-Panipat pipeline.
The HVJ-GREP-DVPL network is fully operational, while the Mehsana-Bathinda pipeline is partially operational. Petroleum product pipelines such as Rewari-Kanpur, Jamnagar-Loni, and Mundra-Delhi are fully functional, while the Piyala-Jewar pipeline is under construction.
Regarding cooking gas, Saini said the situation is fully satisfactory. The state receives about 2 lakh cylinders daily and distributes around 1.9 lakh cylinders. Adequate stock is available at bottling plants, and refill norms of 25 days in urban areas and 45 days in rural areas are being followed. Supply of commercial LPG is also ongoing, with special attention to hospitals, schools, and essential institutions.
He added that currently 1.73 lakh commercial cylinders are in stock. The central government has implemented a 70 percent allocation framework for commercial LPG.
He thanked the prime minister, noting that domestic LPG production has been increased from 40 per cent to reduce import dependency.
Saini said strict action is being taken against black marketing and hoarding. As of March 24, 928 LPG cylinders and 4 vehicles have been seized, 66 accused have been identified, and 8 FIRs have been registered.
He said police patrolling has been intensified in sensitive areas, and strict action is being taken against rumour-mongers.
Overall, the supply of petrol, diesel, and LPG in Haryana is stable, Saini said.
The chief minister said he held a meeting with all deputy commissioners on Friday and it was confirmed that there is no shortage anywhere.
The prime minister also reviewed the situation with chief ministers of various states and assured uninterrupted supply, he said. PTI SUN NB NB
Category: Breaking News
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