Public sector oil marketing companies have issued letters of intent (LOI) to over 2,500 applicants to set up petrol pumps. Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan issued the online intimation to this first batch of successful candidates to enable them to collect the LOIs.

It takes anywhere between six months and two years, subject to land availability and clearances, for a petrol pump to come on ground, according to industry sources.

OMCs had advertised for setting up retail outlets in 78,493 locations. This move effectively more than doubles their existing 57,000 retail outlets of PSU OMCs. More than 4 lakh applications were received for the same, according to an official statement.

Pradhan lauded the selection process and highlighted its transparency. He said, “The selection of common man in the process is indicative of the transparency, simplification of process, and availability of equal opportunity.”

Online selection process

This was the first time the selection process was completely online and without any manual interference. The software application was developed by MSTC Ltd, a PSU under the Ministry of Steel, keeping the OMCs at arm’s length from the selection process, an official statement said.

Pradhan also lauded the oil companies for speeding up the process of allocations. “The advertisements started appearing in November 2018, bids were opened in January, and now the allotment process has already begun.”

Commenting on the expansion of energy infrastructure like gas pipelines, Pradhan said that the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for a 2,000-km LPG pipeline next week in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.

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