Shri Ram Naik,
Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, informed Lok Sabha
today while replying to a question that the Government has been
making all out efforts to curb adulteration and other malpractices
in the distribution of petroleum products in the country. As
part of these efforts, the number of Mobile Testing Laboratories
has been increased to 50 from 23 during the last three years.
The deterrent steps being taken include penalties and cancellation
of dealerships by Oil Companies in terms of the Marketing Discipline
Guideline and/or dealership agreement. In addition, the State
Governments could also take action under the Essential Commodities
Act, 1955 and the provisions of various Control Orders issued
thereunder.
Shri Naik further
informed the House that during the year 2000-01, out of 18366
Retail Outlets (ROs), adulteration was detected in 257 cases
which constitute 1.4% of the ROs. In the next year (2001-02)
out of 18687 ROs, adulteration was detected in 294 cases which
is 1.6 % . In the current fiscal, April to December 2002, out
of 19148 ROs, adulteration has been detected in 257 cases forming
1.3% of the total ROs.
Replying to
another query as to whether the main reason attributed to adulteration
has been low profits/commission of ROs, Shri Naik informed that
with the dismantling of the Administrative Pricing Mechanism
w.e.f. 1.4.2002, the Government is no longer fixing the dealers
commission on petrol and diesel, which is now being fixed by
the Oil Companies. He said that in addition to the commission
on sale of petroleum products, ROs are being planned and encouraged
to provide ancillary services like Auto Service Station, Convenio
shopping facilities, etc., to increase their profitability and
other customer services.
