Kathmandu, October 8

Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) — the state-owned petroleum supply monopoly — has revised fuel rationing for public vehicles with effect from Friday. Based on the odd/even licence plate system, NOC will distribute 20 litres to buses, 15 litres to minibuses and 10 litres fuel to micro buses and 10 litres to taxis.

NOC has revised the fuel quota as its stock has been dwindling and obstruction in fuel import by India has continued. Earlier, NOC had fixed ceiling of 30 litres for buses, 20 litres for bigger buses, 20 litres for minibuses, 15 litres for micro buses and 10 litres for taxis. NOC has designated certain fuel pumps to distribute the fuel. The list of the fuel pumps is being published every day on the official website of NOC.

Earlier, NOC had barred private vehicles from purchasing fuel from October 1, but now it has decided to lift the provision for one day on Saturday, according to Deepak Baral, spokesperson for NOC.

NOC has said it will provide fuel to long route buses from Tuesday to ease movement of passengers who leave Kathmandu to celebrate Dashain and asked Federation of National Transporters Entrepreneurs to submit the demand of diesel that will be required during Dashain.

NOC, following the continuous obstruction in fuel supply from India, today sought the expression of interest from international suppliers to supply fuel. It has called for bidders to submit their proposals within three days to supply 200 kilolitres of diesel, 100 kl petrol, 200 kl aviation turbine fuel and 100 tonnes of cooking gas per day for 15 days.