On Friday, the central government rejected the decision of petroleum dealers association to close the petrol pumps on Sundays, starting May 14. Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told the Parliamentary Consultative Committee at a meeting in Srinagar, “The Petroleum Ministry does not approve or endorse the move by a section of petrol pump dealers to close down fuel stations on Sundays.”
The officials have also said if threatened by the association they will take strict action on them. This announcement was followed by the ministry’s decision to deliver fuel to the doorstep on pre-booking. The ministry said, “Options being explored where petrol products may be door delivered to consumers on pre-booking.” They added, “This would help consumers avoid spending excessive time and long queues at fuel stations.”
“Options being explored where petro products may be door delivered to consumers on pre booking” @dpradhanbjp (1/2)
— Petroleum Ministry (@PetroleumMin) April 21, 2017
“This would help consumers avoid spending excessive time and long queues at fuel stations” @dpradhanbjp (2/2)
— Petroleum Ministry (@PetroleumMin) April 21, 2017
“About 3.5 cr people come to fuel stations every day; Rs 2500 Cr worth of transactions every year “ – @dpradhanbjp
— Petroleum Ministry (@PetroleumMin) April 21, 2017
The Consortium of Indian Petroleum Dealers, in the beginning of this week, said that they have decided to close 25,000 outlets in 8 states starting May 14. This was a result of the association’s failure to increase margins for the dealers. They also said that this was so as to aid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words of Mann Ki Baat. The PM had appealed to the people of India to reduce the consumption of fuel.
In response to this, the petroleum ministry said, “Major dealers’ federations have clarified that they don’t endorse any closure of petrol pumps on any day.” They added that the PM, “appealed to People of India not to use fuel once a week and not to the dealers to close their pumps on Sundays.”
Ajay Bansal, the president of All India Petroleum Dealers Association which has nearly 46,000 pumps members said they will not be participating in the Sunday shut down initiative. This is as each day 3.5 crore people come to fuel up vehicles and making an annual transaction of Rs. 2,500 crores. This will be majorly affected if the Sunday closure is implemented.
