Lok Sabha Question No. 160 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-03
Subject: Fraud by LPG Distribution Centres
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Uday Pratap Singh

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 160 TO BE ANSWERED ON  3 rd  FEBRUARY, 2020

Fraud by LPG Distribution Centres

†160.  SHRI UDAY PRATAP SINGH:

पेट्रोल ियम एवं प्राक ृ तिक गैस मंत्री Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  cases  of  fake  advertisement  and  fraud  in  the  name  of  Ministry  of Petroleum and Natural Gas through the LPG distribution centres have come to the notice of the Government and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of LPG distribution during the last three years including current year, State/UT-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has achieved the fixed targets, if not, the details of the steps proposed to be taken in future by the Government; and
- (d) whether the Government has made a partnership with the private companies for LPG distribution and if so, the details of the companies selected in Madhya Pradesh, if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## पेट्रोल ियम एवं प्राक ृ तिक गैस मंत्री ( श्री धमेन्द्र प्रधान )

MINISTER OF  PETROLEUM  AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI  DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

- (a) Some unscrupulous persons/agencies have fraudulently created fake websites under different domain names for allotment of LPG distributorships of the Oil  Marketing  Companies  (OMCs)  by  using  the  emblem  of  Government  of  India, monogram  of  Petroleum  and  Natural  Gas  Regulatory  Board  (PNGRB)  logo  and stamps  of  Petroleum  &  Explosive  Safety  Organization  (PESO)  and  Oil  Marketing Companies.
- (b) & (c) Appointment of LPG distributorships is a continuous process and locations for  setting  up  of  LPG  distributorships  are  identified  based  on  sale  potential  that makes  them  commercially  viable.  As  on  01.01.2020,  there  are  24,382  LPG distributorship across the country. The State/UT-wise details of LPG distributorships commissioned during the last three years and the current year(upto 31.12.2019) are at Annexure.
- (d) To  meet  the  growing  demands  of  LPG,  OMCs  have  initiated  steps  for establishment of Private Bottling Plants in various areas and have floated tenders for 60 locations including in the State of Madhya Pradesh.

|                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                             | Annexure                                                                                                                                                    |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Annexure referred to in parts (b) &(c) of the reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 160 for 03.02.2020 regarding ' Fraud by LPG Distribution Centres' . | Annexure referred to in parts (b) &(c) of the reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 160 for 03.02.2020 regarding ' Fraud by LPG Distribution Centres' . | Annexure referred to in parts (b) &(c) of the reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 160 for 03.02.2020 regarding ' Fraud by LPG Distribution Centres' . |
| No. of LPG Distributors Commissioned during the last three years and the current year. (from 01.04.2016 to 31.12.2019)                                      | No. of LPG Distributors Commissioned during the last three years and the current year. (from 01.04.2016 to 31.12.2019)                                      | No. of LPG Distributors Commissioned during the last three years and the current year. (from 01.04.2016 to 31.12.2019)                                      |
| SR NO.                                                                                                                                                      | STATE                                                                                                                                                       | Total                                                                                                                                                       |
| 1                                                                                                                                                           | ANDHRA PRADESH                                                                                                                                              | 208                                                                                                                                                         |
| 2                                                                                                                                                           | ARUNACHAL PRADESH                                                                                                                                           | 26                                                                                                                                                          |
| 3                                                                                                                                                           | ASSAM                                                                                                                                                       | 142                                                                                                                                                         |
| 4                                                                                                                                                           | BIHAR                                                                                                                                                       | 850                                                                                                                                                         |
| 5                                                                                                                                                           | CHHATTISGARH                                                                                                                                                | 168                                                                                                                                                         |
| 6                                                                                                                                                           | DELHI                                                                                                                                                       | 5                                                                                                                                                           |
| 7                                                                                                                                                           | GOA                                                                                                                                                         | 4                                                                                                                                                           |
| 8                                                                                                                                                           | GUJARAT                                                                                                                                                     | 215                                                                                                                                                         |
| 9                                                                                                                                                           | HARYANA                                                                                                                                                     | 207                                                                                                                                                         |
| 10                                                                                                                                                          | HIMACHAL PRADESH                                                                                                                                            | 43                                                                                                                                                          |
| 11                                                                                                                                                          | JAMMU & KASHMIR                                                                                                                                             | 54                                                                                                                                                          |
| 12                                                                                                                                                          | JHARKHAND                                                                                                                                                   | 138                                                                                                                                                         |
| 13                                                                                                                                                          | KARNATAKA                                                                                                                                                   | 292                                                                                                                                                         |
| 14                                                                                                                                                          | KERALA                                                                                                                                                      | 103                                                                                                                                                         |
| 15                                                                                                                                                          | MADHYA PRADESH                                                                                                                                              | 284                                                                                                                                                         |
| 16                                                                                                                                                          | MAHARASHTRA                                                                                                                                                 | 493                                                                                                                                                         |
| 17                                                                                                                                                          | MANIPUR                                                                                                                                                     | 23                                                                                                                                                          |
| 18                                                                                                                                                          | MEGHALAYA                                                                                                                                                   | 14                                                                                                                                                          |
| 19                                                                                                                                                          | MIZORAM                                                                                                                                                     | 5                                                                                                                                                           |
| 20                                                                                                                                                          | NAGALAND                                                                                                                                                    | 25                                                                                                                                                          |
| 21                                                                                                                                                          | ODISSA                                                                                                                                                      | 373                                                                                                                                                         |
| 22                                                                                                                                                          | PUNJAB                                                                                                                                                      | 131                                                                                                                                                         |
| 23                                                                                                                                                          | RAJASTHAN                                                                                                                                                   | 351                                                                                                                                                         |
| 24                                                                                                                                                          | SIKKIM                                                                                                                                                      | 9                                                                                                                                                           |
| 25                                                                                                                                                          | TAMIL NADU                                                                                                                                                  | 488                                                                                                                                                         |
| 26                                                                                                                                                          | TELANGANA                                                                                                                                                   | 110                                                                                                                                                         |
| 27                                                                                                                                                          | TRIPURA                                                                                                                                                     | 16                                                                                                                                                          |
| 28                                                                                                                                                          | UTTAR PRADESH                                                                                                                                               | 1296                                                                                                                                                        |
| 29                                                                                                                                                          | UTTARAKHAND                                                                                                                                                 | 71                                                                                                                                                          |
| 30                                                                                                                                                          | WEST BENGAL                                                                                                                                                 | 447                                                                                                                                                         |
|                                                                                                                                                             | UNION TERRITORIES                                                                                                                                           |                                                                                                                                                             |
| 1                                                                                                                                                           | ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS                                                                                                                                   | 4                                                                                                                                                           |
| 2                                                                                                                                                           | CHANDIGARH                                                                                                                                                  | 0                                                                                                                                                           |
| 3                                                                                                                                                           | DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI                                                                                                                                        | 2                                                                                                                                                           |
| 4                                                                                                                                                           | DAMAN & DIV                                                                                                                                                 | 0                                                                                                                                                           |
| 5                                                                                                                                                           | LAKSHDWEEP                                                                                                                                                  | 0                                                                                                                                                           |
|                                                                                                                                                             | TOTAL                                                                                                                                                       | 6600                                                                                                                                                        |