No LPG shortage in Andhra, says CM Naidu
Amaravati (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said there is no shortage of LPG cylinders in the state and instructed officials to coordinate with the Centre to ensure uninterrupted supply.
Reviewing LPG stocks and supply during the sixth District Collectors’ Conference here, the chief minister assessed the situation in the backdrop of the ongoing war in West Asia.
“There is no shortage of LPG (domestic or commerical) anywhere. We should coordinate with the Centre to ensure that supply continues smoothly without disruption,” Naidu said in an official release.
The TDP supremo stressed that LPG supply to schools and hospitals should continue without any interruption.
Officials were asked to maintain strict vigilance to prevent blackmarketing of LPG cylinders.
Meanwhile, Civil Supplies department Secretary, Saurabh Gaur informed Naidu that the state currently has sufficient LPG stocks and supply remains stable.
Officials said gas is being supplied by public sector companies including HPCL, IOCL and BPCL.
According to officials, Andhra Pradesh has over 1.6 crore domestic LPG connections and nearly 10 lakh commercial connections.
The daily LPG demand in the state is around 4,000 tonnes.
At present, about 21,500 tonnes of LPG cylinders are available with various gas companies, ensuring adequate supply across the state, said the release.
Naidu directed officials to continuously monitor the situation through the Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) and submit regular reports to the government.
He also instructed district collectors to remain alert and take immediate steps if any disruptions arise due to the global situation.
Meanwhile, the state government constituted a committee of ministers to continuously assess market conditions related to LPG and horticultural products.
The committee includes Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar, Agriculture Minister Kinjarapu Achennaidu and Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav, who will review developments and suggest necessary measures.
District collectors were also asked to explore alternative markets for agricultural products such as eggs and bananas if exports are disrupted.
He emphasised that the administration should remain prepared to address any challenge and ensure stability in supply chains.
Similarly, Naidu called for strengthening branding and marketing of Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWACRA) products under Swayam (self) brand.
Addressing the sixth District Collectors’ Conference here, Naidu suggested that officials promote DWACRA products and create a structured marketing system through cooperative participation models.
“Products made by DWACRA women should be strongly branded and marketed under the Swayam brand to enhance their value and market reach,” he said.
These (DWACRA) products should also be marketed through cooperative systems, he added.
According to him, multinational companies succeed through strong branding and similar branding strategies are required to enhance recognition and value of DWACRA products.
Establishing a clear brand identity will improve market reach and create better income opportunities for women self-help group entrepreneurs.
The cooperative model adopted by a private dairy company, involving dairy farmers’ participation, could serve as a suitable framework for marketing products produced by DWACRA women.
Naidu noted that strong financial discipline shown by DWACRA women, who repay loans without defaulting, has enhanceded banks’ confidence in them.
He also stressed that products lose value without proper branding and officials have to improve quality standards so Swayam products can compete in national markets.
Reviewing sanitation efforts under Swachh Andhra, he noticed garbage along roads during visits to Kakinada and Samarlakota and directed municipal commissioners to prioritise cleanliness.
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IPL first phase schedule announced amid travel concerns caused by war in West Asia
New Delhi (PTI): Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 opener in Bengaluru on March 28 as the BCCI announced the first phase of the tournament schedule amid concerns around players' travel arrangements due to the ongoing West Asia conflict.
All matches scheduled at the Chinnaswamy Stadium remain subject to clearance from the Karnataka government appointed expert committee, which is scheduled to meet on March 13 to assess venue preparedness in the wake of the deadly stampede at the stadium last season.
The BCCI announced the schedule of the first 20 games on Wednesday and will unveil the full schedule once the dates of elections in three states -- Tamil Nadu, Assam and West Bengal -- are announced.
Besides the state elections, the escalating conflict in West Asia will also be at the forefront of BCCI officials' minds. The war has wreaked havoc to international travel with operations of major airports like Doha and Dubai being heavily restricted.
As a result of that, some of the squad members of South Africa and West Indies are yet to reach home a week after the completion of their T20 World Cup campaign.
It remains to be seen if IPL bound players of those two nations report to their respective teams in time.
"There was a substantial delay in departure of West Indies and South Africa players. It would be a tough task to get them back to India on time. Plus the airfares have gone up substantially due to the war in West Asia," a team official told PTI.
Additionally, hotels across India are facing cooking gas shortage due to the raging conflict and on Tuesday, the central government invoked Essential Commodities Act to ensure uninterrupted supply of domestic cooking gas.
Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanthan told PTI that he is expecting his players from the West Indies and South Africa -- Akeal Hossein and Dewald Brevis, to join the team well before their IPL opener.
"We are expecting no delays from their end," he said.
The second game of the opening weekend will see Mumbai Indians host Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium and the opening weekend will not feature any double-headers.
A total of 20 matches will be played across 10 venues: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.
"During the season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will play five home matches in Bengaluru and two in Raipur. Punjab Kings will play four home matches in New Chandigarh and three in Dharamshala, while Rajasthan Royals will play three home matches in Guwahati and four in Jaipur," said the BCCI in a statement.
"During this period (the first 16 days), the tournament will feature four double-headers, with the afternoon matches beginning at 03:30 PM IST and the evening matches commencing at 07:30 PM IST.
"Following the opening encounter on Saturday, Mumbai Indians will take on Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
"The matches scheduled in Bengaluru are subject to clearance from the Expert Committee constituted by the Government of Karnataka," the BCCI added.
