CSC SPV, the government’s e-services delivery arm, announced Thursday that it plans to establish 1 lakh LPG distribution centers across rural India by March 2022, with a focus on rural and semi-urban areas. Additionally, the CSC SPV stated that it has opened approximately 21,000 stations across states in collaboration with three government-owned oil marketing companies — BPCL, HPCL, and IOC.
“Today, in collaboration with BPCL, we have reached a significant milestone of 10,000 LPG distribution centers. We operate approximately 6,000 distribution centers in collaboration with HPCL and over 5,000 with IOC.
“By the end of this fiscal year, we expect to have 1 lakh LPG distribution centers operational across the country,” CSC SPV Managing Director Dinesh Tyagi said in a statement.
CSC has established these LPG distribution centers across the country. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan are the top five states with the most of these centers.
“Our goal is to reach the rural hinterland, where people continue to cook with firewood and other non-green fuel sources. Through our Digital Seva Portal, the CSCs will assist beneficiaries in receiving the LPG cylinder at their doorsteps.
“Today, CSCs assist in the booking of new LPG connections (Ujjwala and General category), the booking of LPG refills (14.2 kilogramme cylinders), and the supply and distribution of LPG cylinders (storage up to 100 Kgs) via CSCs,” Tyagi explained.
According to Sanjay Kumar Rakesh, CEO of CSC SPV, LPG centers managed by CSC aim to provide healthy cooking fuel to poor households and to replace unhealthy traditional cooking fuels such as firewood and cow dung.
“Women frequently bear a burden in poorer households – farm work, housework, and family care. The majority of women die prematurely as a result of illnesses caused by open, polluting cooking fire sources. In this context, our LPG service will be critical for rural women empowerment “As Rakesh stated.
Santosh Kumar, Executive Director of BPCL, suggested that CSC village level entrepreneurs (VLEs) organize health camps to raise awareness about the health benefits of using LPG rather than coal, as well as safety concerns.
