CAIRO: A week-long shortage in butane gas cylinders, has led to the birth of a vicious black market, hiking prices from LE 10-15 per unit, to LE 35-40. As residents nationwide struggle to get their hands on the essential cooking gas, the industrial committee of the People's Assembly proposed heavy penalties on those behind the emergence of the black market. According to the state-run egynews.net, Minister of Social Solidarity Ali Moselhi proposed increasing the supply of cylinders by 25 percent until the end of March, attributing the shortages to the dire weather conditions that have hindered the transport of butane gas supplies from Egypt's ports. Giza governor Sayed Abdel Aziz announced that selling outlets will be made available throughout Giza to counter the exploitation of peddlers who have abused the shortage and taken advantage of people's needs. A wider plan by the Ministry of Social Solidarity to provide gas cylinder coupons to nearly 15 million families is also underway, with plans to make them available through the newly introduced ration cards also in the pipeline. The project ensures the provision of one cylinder per month for families of under three, while families comprising four of more members will have the right to two cylinders a month at the subsidized official price. Supplies inspectors will be hired in all butane cylinder outlets to oversee the proper implementation of the system, according to the ministry. -Daily News Egypt
