GUWAHATI, Jan 3 - With a view to streamlining the supply chain network and stop pilferage of kerosene, the Kamrup Metro district administration has introduced a �kerosene distribution monitoring system�.
The web-based system introduced by the district administration allows citizens to access data like the lifting status of kerosene in his locality, while helping the authorities to monitor supply and availability of the essential item.
�There used to be a lot of pilferage of kerosene in the city. Our intention, while building up the monitoring system, was to ensure that the process of supply and delivery could be streamlined. In the last few weeks, since we first brought the system online, there has been marked improvement in distribution of kerosene in the city,� Dr M Angamuthu, Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup Metro, told The Assam Tribune.
�Our aim is to ensure that there is no mismatch in the demand and supply and to close the gap. Besides, the monitoring system is also intended to boost transparency and public participation,� he added.
Officials said that there were lots of complaints regarding selling of kerosene oil at high prices in the black market that was pilfered from some distributing agencies.
�Kerosene is an essential commodity being distributed through public distribution system (PDS). This is a prime need of a large section of people, both in rural and urban areas. There had been no tool for the administration to track the distribution from depot level to the consumer level and for that reason unscrupulous elements could divert the commodity to the black market from grass-root level distributing agencies,� said F Ahmed, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup Metro.
Under the web-based system, a citizen can now find out about the lifting status of kerosene against his area through the district portal.
�Another feature of the system is that selected citizens get SMSes about the lifting of kerosene oil from a depot. This is intended to empower the citizens in terms of getting information,� said an official.
�Now the web-based system will help the administration in monitoring the distribution from allotment to distribution to the Fair Price Shop level. The online data updating facility has been provided to the distribution agencies that will let the administration know how much kerosene oil has been lifted by the FPSs or retailers and hawkers on which date and for what area. The web-based system will also send the information through an SMS instantly to local citizens as soon as the kerosene is lifted by the distributing agencies,� he added.
The administration is now planning to expand the monitoring system to other items too like LPG cylinders.
�We could do it with LPG cylinders in the next level,� Dr Angamuthu said.