(a) whether the oil marketing companies are planning to sell kerosene in the open market;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the rates at which the kerosene is likely to be sold
in open market;
(c) the time by which the kerosene is likely to arrive in open market; and
(d) if not, the steps being taken by the Government to reduce the difference in rates of
PDS and non-PDS kerosene in the market?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS(SHRI DINSHA PATEL)
(a) to (c): Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPC) and
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCT) are marketing non-PDS kerosene in the open market.
As per the existing system of marketing of non-PDS kerosene followed by the Public Sector Oil
Marketing Companies (OMCs), the genuine industrial and non-domestic customers having requirement
of more than one Tank Lorry load at a time are being supplied directly and the requirement of
small customers having requirement less than full Tank Lorry load is being met through the
existing SKO-LDO dealership network at the non-subsidized rate.It is also planned to introduce
sale of kerosene in small packs on trial basis initially, to assess the acceptability of product
in small packs by customers. It is envisaged that kerosene would be made available in small
packs of 1 litre to customers who are not covered under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
Under the provisions of Kerosene (Restriction on Use and Fixation of Ceiling Price) Order, 1993,
Government have permitted Oil Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Mangalore Refinery and
Petrochemical Limited (MRPL) and Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) to market their indigenously
produced kerosene, after meeting the demand of PDS kerosene in full, to non-PDS customers. Oil
companies sell free sale Kerosene at market prices as per the requirements.
(d) In view of above, does not arise.