LPG REFILL cylinders may be available at your doorstep in just three hours notice.

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But this prioritised service can be availed by cooking gas users by paying a premium. You have to fork out Rs 25 over and above the cylinder cost of about Rs 280. In case, your dealer fails to deliver the gas cylinder as ordered, you are entitled to a bonanza of Rs 50 discount on cylinder price.

Petroleum ministry has sent a circular to governmentrun oil marketing companies (OMCs) to discuss and implement the scheme, said a petroleum ministry official. The measure has been initiated to prevent irregularities in delivery of domestic cylinders across the country, he added.

This is akin to `tatkal seva' (instant service) provided by Indian Railways for last minute passengers who buy tickets in last three days before the actual journey. Premium charged from these passengers is anything between Rs 75 ­ Rs 300 per ticket depending on the class in which one traveled. The customer-benefit scheme has been proposed at a time when the highlevel committee headed by Kirit Parikh has proposed hike in prices of domestic LPG by Rs 100 per cylinder.

Increased price of domestic LPG for `premium customers' will be a positive move for marketing operations of OMCs. In addition, it will reduce under-recoveries of OMCs by Rs 7,880 crore. Such schemes would also make it incumbent upon OMCs to focus on efficiency and transparency of its dealers, an official said.

GC Daga, director (marketing) of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), said they are discussing the scheme with other industry players.

"The plan is likely to be implemented in two months time," he added. IOC, the largest OMC of the country, operates nearly 5,000 LPG distributors and offers service to 52.19 million customers across India, as per data available on March 31, 2009.

Meanwhile, IOC is testing a new concept, RFID technology, which helps track the movement of LPG cylinders after it is released from the dealer. Trials are currently being undertaken in selected markets, after which it will be implemented on a countrywide basis.

The move has been taken to prevent diversion of domestic LPG for commercial purposes. A commercial 19 kg LPG cylinder costs Rs 1025.07 in Delhi.