(a) whether oil companies have not been depositing the money collected by them as deposits from consumers for LPG cylinders;
(b) if so, the reasons therefor and the total money collected by oil companies from 1993-94 to 1997-98;
(c) whether the OCC has reimbursed the entire expenditure incurred on the purchase of cylinders by allowing 100 percent depreciation; and
(d) if so, the action the Government propose to take against the oil companies and the OCC in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)
(a) & (b): As per the prevailing administered pricing mechanism, LPG Security deposit amounts are refundable to the consumers as and when they return the cylinders. The amounts are retained by the oil marketing companies. The LPG security deposits received by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) during the period 1993-94 to 1997-98 are as follows:-
YEAR RS. IN CRORE
1993-94 177.43 1994-95 244.61 1995-96 376.72 1996-97 476.55 1997-98 829.96