Pradhan asks OMCs to expedite allotment of outlets to SC, ST candidates -Governance Now

Pradhan asks OMCs to expedite allotment of outlets to SC, ST candidates

As part of the strategy, oil marketing companies allocate 22.5 percent of the new retail outlets to SC and ST candidates

GN Bureau | February 14, 2017

#oil companies #BPCL #IOCL #HPCL #PSU #Dharmendra Pradhan

After finding oil marketing companies (OMCs) lagging behind in meeting their targets, petroleum minister, Dharmendra Pradhan has asked OMCs to step up efforts to allot more retail outlets (ROs) to SC and ST candidates.

During the meeting it was found that there was a huge shortfall with respect to meeting social commitments of the OMCs. After being asked to intensify efforts to benefit SC/ST people, the OMCs have initiated procuring land from various state governments to be exclusively used for facilitating establishment of retail outlets by the SC/ST candidates.

Notably, OMCs like Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) have a laid-down policy for promoting social inclusion and economic empowerment of the weaker sections. As part of the strategy, the OMCs allocate 22.5 percent of the new retail outlets to SC and ST candidates. That apart, OMCs also have a well laid-down framework for allotting existing retail outlets to such candidates through divestment of company owned temporary retail outlets.

Pradhan also asked the OMCs to expedite selection process of SC/ST locations. For such applicants, additional time has been allowed to submit land to the OMCs for consideration of their applications for retail outlets.

It was also observed that there was large number of letter of intent (LoI) holders who were awaiting allotment of retail outlets which is primarily done by divesting the temporary company owned ROs. The LoI holders since 2004, belonging to SC/ST community were also awaiting such allotment. A special drive has been initiated to expedite the process of handing over ROs to such candidates.

Around 600 such retail outlets have been identified across the country. It is likely to benefit more than 500 SC/ST candidates, widows and unmarried women without earning parents. This will provide necessary employment opportunity along with economic empowerment.

Comments

Other News

Mumbai’s missing affordable homes

Mumbai’s real estate market keeps growing, yet homeownership remains out of reach for much of its population. Three experts – urban researcher Hussain Indorewala, urban planner Vidyadhar Phatak and developer Kamlesh Thakur of NAREDCO Maharashtra, agree that simply constructing more apartments

Rubio denies US foreknowledge of Starlink restrictions in Ukraine

US secretary of state Marco Rubio has said he was unfamiliar with the Wall Street Journal report suggesting Elon Musk had decided to throttle Starlink services in Ukraine, but rejected claims that Washington had ordered the restrictions to pressure Kyiv. “There was no

Can AI change India’s breast cancer story?

Breast cancer has become a public-health challenge in India. The greatest opportunity is to find cancers earlier. Artificial intelligence (AI) is opening a new era in breast cancer detection. AI systems can analyse mammograms and other breast-imaging studies, identify subtle abnormalities and assist radi

Farm stability in the time of climate change

Indian agriculture is experiencing significant climate volatility, while the world economy seems to be in a highly volatile situation. Economic indices from various countries show that they need to recalibrate their strategies to withstand economic headwinds. In such a challenging situation, a country li

El Niño threatens India’s Rabi crops

India’s southwest monsoon ended with a 13% rainfall deficit in 2026, its weakest performance in a decade, raising concerns over agricultural production, water security and the upcoming rabi season. With El Niño expected to persist into early 2027, experts warn that declining soil moisture, dep

Regulating the data advantage: India’s new e-Commerce framework

For over a decade, India’s e-commerce story has rested on a simple premise: platforms connect buyers and sellers, while data fuels efficiency, personalisation, and scale. However, as the market matured, its structure has revealed a growing imbalance. E-commerce platforms, especially marketplace ent