**Executive Summary**
The Department of Consumer Affairs has amended the Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2013, to expand the verification scope for fuel dispensing systems. Effective May 24, 2026, the amendment adds five new categories, including CNG and Hydrogen dispensers, and empowers State Governments to notify additional categories. These reforms aim to strengthen India’s clean fuel infrastructure and improve administrative efficiency through standardized verification fees and streamlined approval processes.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Expansion of GATC Scope**
* Five new fuel dispensing systems are now under the GATC framework: Petrol/Diesel, CNG, LPG, LNG, and Hydrogen dispensers.
* The total number of weights and measures categories verifiable by GATCs has increased from 18 to 23.
* The inclusion of clean fuel dispensers (CNG, LNG, Hydrogen) supports the national transition toward greener energy.
* **Administrative Reforms and Flexibility**
* State Governments are now authorized to notify additional categories of weights and measures for GATC verification based on local needs.
* Officers of the rank of Joint Secretary and above are empowered to exercise specific regulatory powers to accelerate approvals and related matters.
* The expansion utilizes public-private partnerships by involving qualified private laboratories to increase nationwide verification capacity.
* **Notified Verification Fees**
* Verification fees for Petrol and Diesel dispensers are fixed at ₹5,000 per nozzle.
* Verification fees for CNG, LPG, LNG, and Hydrogen dispensers are fixed at ₹10,000 per nozzle.
* **Operational Objectives**
* The reforms aim to reduce service delays and improve transparency in fuel transactions for consumers.
* By offloading verification to GATCs, State Legal Metrology Departments can focus more on inspection, enforcement, and consumer grievance redressal.
**Impact Analysis**
**Government Approved Test Centres (GATCs)**
**Impact**
GATCs experience an expanded operational scope, allowing them to provide verification services for a wider range of high-demand fuel dispensing instruments.
**Action Required**
Facilities must ensure they possess the required infrastructure and technical expertise to undertake verification and re-verification for the newly added dispensing categories.
**State Governments and Legal Metrology Departments**
**Impact**
State authorities gain greater flexibility to manage local requirements and are freed from routine verification tasks to focus on enforcement and consumer protection.
**Action Required**
State Governments should identify and notify additional categories for GATC verification as needed and utilize the newly authorized administrative powers for quicker processing.
**Fuel Station Operators and Clean Fuel Providers**
**Impact**
Operators of petrol, diesel, and alternative fuel stations are subject to standardized verification fees and improved access to timely verification services.
**Action Required**
Operators must pay the notified fees (₹5,000 or ₹10,000 per nozzle) and ensure their dispensing systems are verified by GATCs in compliance with the amended rules.
**Consumers**
**Impact**
Consumers benefit from enhanced confidence in the accuracy of fuel delivery and greater transparency in transactions involving both traditional and clean fuels.
**Action Required**
No direct action is required; consumers benefit from the strengthened metrology ecosystem and improved enforcement.
Key Entities Referenced
Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2013: The primary regulatory framework amended to expand the scope of verification for fuel dispensing systems and strengthen India’s legal metrology ecosystem.
Government Approved Test Centres (GATC): A framework of approved facilities with the technical expertise to undertake verification and re-verification of weights and measures, including newly added fuel dispensers.
Department of Consumer Affairs: The primary government department responsible for implementing legal metrology reforms and authorizing the expansion of verification infrastructure.
Legal Metrology Act: The parent legislation governing the standards of weights and measures under which GATCs operate and are regulated.
International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML): The international intergovernmental body whose global best practices and recommendations guide the alignment of India’s metrology system.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
Department of Consumer Affairs Expands Scope
of Government Approved Test Centre’s ( GATC) ;
Verification of CNG, LNG and Hydrogen
Dispensers Enabled
States Empowered to Notify Additional Categories; New
Verification Fees Notified for Fuel Dispensers
Public–Private Partnership for Accurate and Reliable
Measurement
Legal Metrology reforms to strengthen consumer confidence,
clean fuel infrastructure and nationwide verification capacity
Posted On: 24 MAY 2026 10:31AM by PIB Delhi
The Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, has
amended the Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2013, to further strengthen
India’s legal metrology ecosystem and expand the country’s verification infrastructure for weights and
measures.
Five New Fuel Dispensing Systems Brought Under GATC Framework
A key feature of the amendment is the expansion of the scope of Government Approved Test Centres
(GATCs) to include verification and re-verification of additional fuel dispensing systems. The move is
expected to enhance the availability of verification services, improve efficiency and support the growing
adoption of cleaner fuels across the country.
Under the amended Rules, the following five categories of dispensing systems have been added to the
list of instruments that can be verified by GATCs:
Petrol/Diesel Dispensers
CNG Dispensers
LPG Dispensers
LNG Dispensers
Hydrogen Dispensers
With the inclusion of these instruments, Government Approved Test Centres can now undertake
verification and re-verification of a total of 23 categories of weights and measures under the Legal
Metrology framework.
Supporting Clean Fuel InfrastructureThe inclusion of CNG, LNG and Hydrogen dispensers under the GATC framework comes at a
time when the use of cleaner fuels is increasing across the country. The measure will help ensure
accurate fuel delivery and greater transparency in transactions.
Expanding Verification Capacity
Government Approved Test Centres (GATCs) are approved facilities with the required
infrastructure and technical expertise to undertake verification and re-verification of specified
weights and measures under the Legal Metrology Act and Rules. By involving qualified private
laboratories and industries, the GATC framework helps expand the country's verification capacity
and improve access to verification services.
Greater Flexibility and Faster Processing
The amendments empower State Governments to notify additional categories of weights and
measures for verification through GATCs under their respective Rules. This will help expand
verification services based on local requirements. To improve administrative efficiency, officers of
the rank of Joint Secretary and above have also been authorised to exercise powers under relevant
provisions of the Rules, enabling quicker processing of approvals and related matters.
Verification Fees Notified
Under the amended Rules, the verification fee for Petrol and Diesel dispensers has been fixed at
₹5,000 per nozzle, while the fee for CNG, LPG, LNG and Hydrogen dispensers has been fixed at
₹10,000 per nozzle.
Government Approved Test Centres (GATCs) are already playing an important role in providing timely
and reliable verification services for weighing and measuring instruments across the country. The
expanded scope of GATCs is expected to further strengthen India's verification infrastructure, improve
service delivery and reduce delays.
The reforms will also enable State Legal Metrology Departments to focus more on inspection,
enforcement and consumer grievance redressal. The initiative supports the Government's vision of
technology-driven governance, transparency in trade practices and Atmanirbhar Bharat, while
strengthening India's metrology system in line with global best practices and recommendations of the
International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML).
Categories of Weights and Measures Verifiable Through GATCs
Existing Categories (18)
1. Water Meter
2. Sphygmomanometer
3. Clinical Thermometer
4. Automatic Rail Weighbridges
5. Tape Measures
6. Non-Automatic Weighing Instruments of Accuracy Class III (up to 150 kg)
7. Non-Automatic Weighing Instruments of Accuracy Class IIII
8. Load Cell
9. Beam Scale
10. Counter Machine
11. Weights (All Categories)
12. Gas Meter13. Energy Meter
14. Moisture Meter
15. Vehicle Speed Meter
16. Breath Analyzer
17. Multi-Dimensional Measuring Instrument
18. Flow Meter
Newly Added Categories (5)
19. Petrol/Diesel Dispenser
20. CNG Dispenser
21. LPG Dispenser
22. LNG Dispenser
23. Hydrogen Dispenser
For details, please refer to: https://consumeraffairs.gov.in/public/upload/files/GATC_Amendment_R
ules_2026_1778476324.pdf
***
RT/ARC
(Release ID: 2264701) Visitor Counter : 1070
Read this release in: Urdu , ही , Marathi , Gujarati , Tamil , Kannada , Malayalam