This document summarizes Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 812, answered on July 24, 2025, regarding public convenience parameters at petrol pumps operated by major oil marketing companies (OMCs) – Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).
The Dealer Selection Guidelines 2023 mandate that retail outlet (RO) dealerships provide customer convenience facilities, including free air, clean drinking water, clean toilets, and telephone access. OMCs conduct periodic inspections to ensure these facilities are available and maintained. Non-compliance results in action against dealerships as per the Marketing Discipline Guidelines (MDG).
In June 2022, the government expanded Universal Service Obligations (USOs) to all ROs, including those in remote areas, to ensure quality and uninterrupted fuel supply and the availability of minimum specified facilities.
Consumers can register complaints regarding substandard customer convenience facilities through the OMCs' existing online portals. Additionally, the Centralized Public Grievance Redress Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) portal is available for lodging complaints.
Key Entities Referenced
LOK SABHA: The Lower House of the Parliament of India, where the question was raised.
PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS: The ministry responsible for the petroleum and natural gas sector in India.
Indian Oil Corporation Limited: A major oil marketing company in India, also known as IOCL.
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited: A major oil marketing company in India, also known as HPCL.
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited: A major oil marketing company in India, also known as BPCL.
Dealer Selection Guidelines 2023: Guidelines that mandate customer convenience facilities at Retail Outlet (RO) dealerships.
Marketing Discipline Guidelines: Guidelines that outline the process for taking action against dealerships for non-availability of customer convenience facilities.
Centralized Public Grievance Redress Monitoring System: A portal, also known as CPGRAMS, through which customers can register complaints.
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 812
TO BE ANSWERED ON 24TH JULY, 2025
Parameters for Public Convenience at Petrol Pumps
†812. Shri Rakesh Rathor:
पे(cid:7069)ोिलयम और (cid:7079)ाकृितक गैस म(cid:7074)ं ी
Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has prescribed any public convenience-related parameters to be
followed by major oil marketing companies such as Indian Oil Corporation Limited
(IOCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum
Corporation Limited (BPCL) while awarding retail outlet (petrol pump) dealerships;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the mechanism put in place for quality inspection by these
companies and retail outlets to ensure public convenience;
(c) whether the Government is considering developing any online portal to allow consumers
to register complaints regarding substandard essential public convenience services at these
retail outlets;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) if not, whether the Government proposes to launch such portal in future to enable
consumers to lodge such complaints with ease and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
पेट(cid:332)ोिलयम और (cid:366)ाकृ ितक गैस मं(cid:361)ालय म(cid:336) रा(cid:475) मं(cid:361)ी
((cid:373)ी सुरेश गोपी)
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
(SHRI SURESH GOPI)
(a) and (b): The Dealer Selection Guidelines - 2023 requires Retail Outlet (RO) Dealerships
to provide customer convenience facilities, viz., provision of Free Air, Clean Drinking
Water, maintenance of Neat & Clean Toilet, Telephone etc. at their ROs.
Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have informed that periodic inspections are
carried out by them to ensure that the customer convenience facilities are provided and
maintained at their ROs and action is taken against the dealerships in case of non-availability
of such facilities as per the process laid down in the Marketing Discipline Guidelines
(MDG). Further, in June, 2022, the Government has expanded the scope of Universal Service
Obligations (USOs) to all ROs including remote area ROs. USOs have been prescribed so
that authorized entities provide quality and uninterrupted fuel supply services to the
consumers. These USOs, inter-alia, require ensuring availability of minimum facilities as
specified by the Government, to all the retail consumers at the ROs.
(c) to (e): OMCs have online portal which allows consumers to register complaints regarding
substandard customer convenience facilities at Retail Outlets. Besides this, the Centralized
Public Grievance Redress & Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) portal is a mode through
which customers can register their complaints.
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