NEW DELHI, Feb 11: Oil marketing firms have chosen 26 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) from a total of 286 applications to establish retail petrol and diesel stations, as announced by Cooperation Minister Amit Shah in Parliament on Tuesday.
In a written statement to the Lok Sabha, Shah indicated that the government has permitted PACS to run retail petrol and diesel outlets, along with LPG distributorships.
According to reports from Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), 286 PACS from 25 states and Union Territories applied online to set up retail petrol and diesel stations, and 26 of these have been selected by OMCs, Shah noted.
Regarding the conversion of PACS Wholesale Consumer Pumps into retail outlets, OMC reports suggest that 116 PACS from five states have consented to this change, and 56 PACS have already been commissioned. Additionally, two PACS have applied for LPG distributorships at the two sites advertised in Jharkhand.
Under the updated guidelines, PACS are classified under Combined Category 2 (CC-2) for retail petrol and diesel dealerships and Combined Category (CC) for LPG distributorships, allowing them to apply online in accordance with advertisements published by OMCs.
PACS also have a one-time opportunity to convert their wholesale consumer pumps into retail outlets, for which the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has issued detailed guidelines.
The guidelines further outline the eligibility criteria, which include the requirement for PACS to submit documents concerning registration, land availability, financing, and other relevant information when applying for retail petrol/diesel outlets and LPG distributorships. (PTI)
