Mr. B. Ashok, Chairman, IndianOil addressing the gathering at Asia LPG Summit – 2017, New Delhi
With about 72 per cent of India's population living in villages, and about 68 per cent villages having a population of less than 2,000 or less, ensuring LPG access to all Indian kitchens is a both a challenge as well as an opportunity. India offers excellent scope for LPG business in the coming years,” said Mr. B. Ashok, Chairman, IndianOil. He was addressing the inaugural session at the Asia LPG Summit being held on February 07-08, 2017 at New Delhi. Mr. James Rockall, CEO, WLPGA (World LPG Association); Mr. Mr. Yagiz Eyüboglu, President, WLPGA & President, Koç Holding Energy Group, Turkey; Mr. K.D. Tripathi, Secretary, MoP&NG, Government of India; and Prof. Mukul G. Asher, Senior Fellow & Professor, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public, were also present on the first session on LPG opportunity in rising Asia.
Elaborating further on the initiatives by Oil Marketing Companies to augment rural access of LPG, Mr. Ashok said, “lndianOil pioneered the concept of the rural low-cost, small-format LPG distributorships, which do not need large outlays. This concept has taken strong roots and today, apart from the 13,000 regular LPG distributorships in cities and towns, the three OMCs together operate over 3,000 rural distributorships.”
Mr. Ashok also detailed the steps taken by the Government to make LPG accessible and affordable for all, especially those in rural hinterlands and BPL households. “As part of the intensive efforts being made to rapidly expand this network, the Government is diverting subsidy amounts given up by the well-to-do to provide LPG to the BPL families, while at the same continuing to extend product subsidy to this price-sensitive segment. The three oil marketing companies are also pitching in with part of their CSR funds to bring more and more households into the fold,” he informed.
At the parallel track session as a part of the conference, Mr. Subodh Dakwale, Executive Director (CC & Branding), IndianOil, discussed the role and importance of positive communication in making ‘Give It Up’ one of the most effective and popular mass movements of recent times.
The two –day conference on LPG – Transforming Lives & Emerging Trends was inaugurated the evening before by Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan, MoS (Independent Charge), MoP&NG. The WLPGA Asia LPG Summit & India LPG Summit 'Emerging Trends', is being organized by the Indian LPG industry in association with WLPGA to showcase India’s innovative initiatives in the LPG sector with the emerging countries.