Kerosene: Pradhan accuses BJD of promoting black marketeers

A day after ruling BJD decided to launch a stir over slashing of kerosene quota to Odisha, BJP leader and Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradham slammed the state government accusing it of promoting black marketeers.
Asking the state Government to make public the data relating to distribution of kerosene including details of beneficiaries, Pradhan claimed that Odisha was losing revenue as black marketeers were promoted.
While the list of kerosene sub-dealers was given in the website, there was no information about beneficiaries, the Petroleum Minister told reporters.
"If the BJD regime has courage, it should publish the detailed list of beneficiaries," he said.

BJD spokesperson P K Deb, however, said that Pradhan's allegations were not based on facts.
Pradhan had said on April 3 that the per-head kerosene quota for Odisha is 24 litres per annum and suggested that the state government stop pilferage of the fuel.
BJD yesterday announced that the party would launch a three-day agitation from tomorrow against slashing of the state's kerosene quota.