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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Russian First Deputy PM Manturov meets PM Modi; discusses trade, energy ties
New Delhi (PTI): Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov on Thursday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties in areas of investment, energy and industrial cooperation.
Manturov, on a two-day visit to India, also held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
The Russian embassy said Modi and Manturov discussed "specific steps to implement agreements reached" during the India-Russia summit held in December last.
"Particular attention was paid to further strengthening Russia-India trade, economic, investment, energy and industrial cooperation," it said on social media.
In their meeting, Doval and Manturov were learnt to have discussed bilateral defence cooperation besides the evolving regional security situation.
The Russian first deputy PM's visit to New Delhi comes days after India cleared procurement of a fresh batch of five S-400 missile systems from Russia.
The decision to procure the additional batch of five S-400 air defence missile systems was taken against the backdrop of the missile system proving its capability during Operation Sindoor.
The missile system played a crucial role in India's dominance over Pakistan during the May 7-10 hostilities last year.
In October 2018, India had signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of S-400 air defence missile systems, notwithstanding a warning by the US that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions under the provisions of Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
Three squadrons have already been delivered.
In the talks, the two sides are also expected to exchange views on the West Asia conflict and its impact on global economy, especially on the energy sector.
It is learnt that both sides also reviewed the implementation of decisions taken at the summit talks between Prime Minister Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in last December.
Following talks between the two leaders, India and Russia unveiled a raft of measures including a five-year roadmap to build a robust economic partnership and to increase the annual trade to USD 100 billion by 2030.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last week lauded India's "independent foreign policy" and said that Russia looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister Modi for a visit this year.
In an address at a conference titled 'India and Russia: Towards a new bilateral agenda', he said the "time-tested" friendship between the two countries is a model on interstate relations based on mutual trust and respect.
