From May 15, all the petrol pumps will be open for only 12 hours a day according to the release by Andhra Pradesh Federation of Petroleum Traders (APFPT) on Tuesday. The association said that this decision was taken as a result of the Sunday offs that was canceled by the government.
The association said that it will observe a ‘No Purchase Day’ on May 10, if the dealers’ margin is not increased by the Oil Marketing companies in the meeting on May 10. The petrol pumps decided not to pay heed to the government order and that petrol pumps will be closed across Andhra Pradesh from May 14 on every Sunday.
The Associations president Ravi Gopala Krishna said that OMCs are reluctant in increasing dealers margin. This was after the association claimed support from reports of the Apoorva Chandra Committee. He also said that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between OMCs and traders said that dealers margins will be increased for every liter of fuel sold. The both parties agreed to 11 regulations on the same aspect.
He said, “They promised to increase the dealers’ margin after every six months in the MoU. However, that has not happened. More than 80 percent of the traders in the state are bearing losses.” Krishna also said that national-level meeting between the two parties was decided in favor of the parties. He said, “If our commission is not increased, we will protest by not purchasing fuel on May 10.” He said this decision was taken also in order to reduce costs.
