By IANS
Srinagar : In a bid to expand the network for retailing transport and cooking fuels in three northern states, the petroleum ministry would soon add 96 gas stations and 30 distributors for cooking gas.
Speaking at a regional meeting here Monday on issues regarding the distribution of oil fuels in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand, Petroleum Minister Murli Deora said priority would be given to address the energy needs of these states.
He said state-run oil marketing companies had 266 retail outlets for petrol and diesel in Himachal Pradesh, 333 in Jammu and Kashmir and 352 in Uttarakhand. In addition, there were 120 distributorships for cooking gas in Himachal Pradesh, 154 in Jammu and Kashmir and 169 in Uttarakhand.
He said these companies intended to set up 25 retail outlets for petrol and diesel in Himachal Pradesh, 49 in Jammu and Kashmir, and 22 in Uttarakhand. Also, while Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will have three more distributors each for cooking gas, Jammu and Kashmir will have 22 more.
Deora said the coverage of cooking gas in the three hill states was 85 percent in Jammu and Kashmir, 90 percent in Uttaranchal and 97 percent in Himachal Pradesh – which is more than double the national average of 45 percent.