Soon, oil marketing companies like Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) may be going the e-commerce way what with the government planning to introduce home delivery of petrol and diesel in India.
According to sources close to the development, petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan has mooted the idea at a meeting of the consultative committee of members of Parliament in Srinagar today as an effort to increase digital transactions in the sector.
"This will increase the number of digital transactions and become more comfortable for petrol and diesel consumers. They will not have to stand in long queues and will be able to get it delivered at their doorstep," said an industry source. Pradhan informed the members that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas took the lead role in digital payment promotion drive. As per the plan, the consumers can book petrol and diesel in advance through online mode, which will be delivered directly at home by the oil marketing companies.
“A three-pronged strategy was followed ie rapid expansion of digital payment infrastructure at fuel stations, massive awareness campaign and incentivising consumers,” he said. Currently, about 38,128 retail outlets in India have point of sale machines and more than 86% of outlets have digital infrastructure. Post demonetisation, OMCs are giving 0.75% discount to the customers on purchase of fuel through cashless mode, while uver 72,000 e wallets have also been activated.
“This is one step ahead in our roadmap, as it may give sonsumers the additional benefits of digital transactions also. However, the mode of rollout and when it will happen is yet to be finaliSed,” the source added. OMCs have conducted about 35,000 consumer awareness campaigns to promote digital transactions since Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes were demonetised in November.
Pradhan indicated that the daily cashless transactions have increased from Rs 150 crore per day then to Rs 400 crore per day now. The ministry has also launched MoPNG e-Seva, a dedicated social media grievance redressal platform for oil and gas related complaints. He added that Swachh Petrol Pump App is an initiative where citizens can give feedback on the status of toilets at fuel stations.
This comes at a time when a section of petrol pump owners were planning for a shut down on all Sundays starting from May 14. Commenting on this, the minister stated that the ministry does not approve or endorse the move by a section of petrol pump dealers to close down fuel stations on Sundays. He said fuel conservation as a major campaign is being carried out by Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) and OMCs under the guidance of the Ministry.
The members of the consultative committee included Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma, Chandrakant Bhaurao Khaire, Harinder Singh Khalsa, Janak Ram, Murali Mohan Maganti, Narasimham Thota, Ninong Ering, Satya Pal Singh, Ramdas Chandrabhanji Tadas, Ravindra Babu Pandula, Sona Ram Choudhary, Tamradhwaj Sahu, Tariq Anwar, Vikaram Usendi, Ranjib Biswal and Ravi Prakash Verma.