Consumers of Indane agencies, run by the Triplicane Urban Co-operative Society (TUCS), can book LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) refills through Short Messaging Service (SMS) in the next 15 days.
“This service was launched in TUCS' Teynampet LPG booking centre on a pilot basis on April 1. It will be extended to 17 LPG booking centres in Chennai and this will benefit approximately 86,000 consumers,” S. Saravanan, Joint Registrar/Special Officer, TUCS, told The Hindu .
To avail himself of the new service, a consumer should provide basic details such as name, consumer number, number of cylinders, address and two mobile numbers.
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The option of booking a refill by calling the agency over telephone would continue to be available.
The new system would enable the consumer to know about the current status of booking, make emergency calls and register complaints.
As part of its 107th Founders Day, which falls on April 9, TUCS would offer eight items – tamarind, coriander, dry chillies, mustard, jera, sonuf, methi and pepper – at a special price at 230 outlets in Chennai.
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“It is our way of offering protection to consumers against price rise. These products are usually purchased by households in huge quantities and used over a long period of time. It is the harvest season and best time to get these products at good price. We have worked out the prices for the last three years and decided to procure and offer them at Rs.1,200 a pack against the market value of Rs.2,800,” he said.
According to Mr. Saravanan, the annual pack weighing 19 kg would be offered in five-kg packs (consisting of tamarind, coriander and dry chillies), one kg packs (mustard, jera and methi) and in half-kg packs (sonuf and pepper).
The offer is for 12 days from April 9 and consumers could book by paying an advance of Rs.100 per pack.
The delivery would begin on May 1, he said.