State licence for petrol pumps

8220;The strict survellience of petrol adulteration in the State will come into effect from August 18221;, said State Food and Civil Supplies Minister Haribhau Bagde while speaking to The Indian Express, after a press conference held in the city today. He said the initial work of distributing licences to petrol pumps had already begun.

Speaking in the press conference, Bagde said the decision to introduce parallel licences was taken to tighten the noose on errant petrol pump owners who were indulging in trade malpractices, mainly adulteration of petrol using kerosene.So far, the penalties imposed by the Centre turned out to be a very meagre sum for the petrol pump owners who were making big money by cheating consumers.

8220;The punitive action taken by the State will be independent of that taken by the Centre,8221; he said, adding that with the cancellation of the licence by the State government, the black-listed petrol pumps will have to stop their business.

When asked about the shortage of palmolein oil in the State, Bagde said the State Trade Corporation was making arrangements to obtain an additional 4,000 metric tonnes of edible oil with the help of corresponding Central government agencies. 8220;We hope to distribute one kilogram of oil per card by one month8221;, said Bagde.When asked about the issue of separate cards for the poor, Bagde said distribution of 60 lakh such cards would start by July end and the whole process will be completed by December end this year.