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Thursday, March 10, 2011

PM Gilani seeks plan to give relief in gas bills

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday reiterated that uninterrupted gas supply be ensured so as to give relief to the public, particularly the domestic consumers.
He directed the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources to establish hot lines and help lines to receive complaints and their redressal at the earliest. The prime minister was chairing a special meeting at the PM House to review the gas supply situation as well as the impact of increase of oil prices in international markets.

The prime minister asked the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources to prepare a relief package for the poor and vulnerable sections of the society for giving relief in their gas bills. The exercise, he said, be undertaken as soon as the poverty survey being conducted under the Benazir Income Support Programme was completed throughout the country.

The prime minister observed that the government’s concern for the common man was reflected through the fact that while the international oil prices had increased by 23 percent, the oil price in the country had only been increased by 4.9 percent.

The government as such, he added, is absorbing the financial impact of 18.1 percent despite a difficult economic situation with the sole purpose of providing relief to the poor.

The prime minister also directed the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources to expedite the completion of various projects to ensure proper supply of oil and gas to various sectors of the economy as well as the people at large.

Earlier, the secretary Petroleum and Natural Resources apprised the prime minister of the steps taken by the Ministry to ensure uninterrupted supply of gas to domestic and commercial consumers. He also briefed the meeting on the progress of various projects being undertaken by the Ministry to ensure smooth supply of oil and gas in the country.  (The News)