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Economy
Mahesh

19/06/22 19:21 PM IST

Petrol pumps in remote areas brought under universal service obligation

In News 
  • In a bid to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply in the country, Centre has expanded the ambit of the universal services obligation (USO) to include all retail fuel outlets across the country along with those in remote areas.
Details 
  • This has been done with an objective to ensure higher level of customer services in the market and to ensure that adherence to the USO forms a part of the market discipline.
  • With this move the government has made it obligatory for the oil marketing companies (OMC) to provide supply to retail pumps across the country.
  • As per the USO, pumps will have to maintain supplies of petrol and diesel throughout the “specified working hours and of specified quality and quantity..
  • They will have to maintain minimum inventory levels of the fuels as specified by the centre from time to time, providing services to any person on demand within a reasonable period of time and on non-discriminatory basis and ensuring availability of fuel to the customers at reasonable prices.
Need of such Move
  • The move comes on the backdrop of shortage of petrol and diesel in several states including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and instances of long queues at petrol pumps and anxiety among the public.
  • The recent shortage in several states and the eventual panic among consumers has occurred as several the pumps of private OMCs have either shut or curtailed sales amid high crude oil prices.
  • This has resulted in a heavy demand across the pumps of state-rum OMCs causing concerns of shortfall of supplies at these pumps.
Source- Live Mint 

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