Lok Sabha Question No. 5467 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-03
Subject: Customer-Centric Initiatives at the Retail Outlets
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Smt. Shobhanaben Mahendrasinh Baraiya, Shri Praveen Patel

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5467 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03 RD  APRIL, 2025

## Customer-Centric Initiatives at the Retail Outlets

- †5467. Smt. Shobhanaben Mahendrasinh Baraiya:

Shri Praveen Patel:

## पेᮝोिलयम और ᮧाकृ ितक गैस मंᮢी

Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of customer-centric initiatives at retail outlets through technology and services;
- (b) the  number  of  retail  outlets  where  automation  systems  installed  by  Oil  Marketing Companies (OMCs) across the country since 2014, State/year-wise;
- (c) the details of skill development initiatives undertaken by OMCs for the skill upgradation of driveway salesmen/saleswomen at retail outlets;
- (d) the increase in the participation of women in driveway sales staff during the last five years and the current year, year-wise;
- (e) whether  any  initiatives  taken  by  any  OMC  to  include  differently  abled/physically challenged people as driveway sales staff and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the other measures taken by OMCs for the welfare of driveway sales staff?

## ANSWER

पेट Ō ोिलयम और Ůाक ृ ितक गैस मंũालय मŐ राǛमंũी (ŵी सुरे श गोपी)

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI SURESH GOPI)

- (a)    Public  Sector  Oil  Marketing  Companies  (OMCs)  have  taken  various  customer-centric initiatives at their Retail Outlets (ROs) which inter alia include:

Technology-Driven  Initiatives:  Automated  Fuel  Dispensing  &  Digital  Payments  through credit cards, contactless payment solutions (UPI, QR codes, mobile wallets), Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID)/Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled fuel dispensing for seamless transactions  and  Automation of ROs which ensures Retail Selling Price updates, eliminates possibility of incorrect pricing for customers and short delivery, maintains depository of all transaction which  helps in verification and redressal of  complaints relating to short delivery/overpricing, automatic stoppage of nozzle sales when system detects low inventory or water presence in tanks at ROs etc.

Services  oriented  Initiatives:  Loyalty  and  Rewards  Programs  which  includes  discounts, cashback  and  rewards  points,  24/7  Customer  Support,  customer  feedback  applications allowing  instant rating of RO  facilities and  services, Apna  Ghar  rest  facilities with refreshment  and  vehicle  parking  for  truck  drivers  and  wayside  amenities  for  highway travellers to refresh, relax and rest during long journey etc.

(b)   Public Sector OMCs have completed automation at 72152 ROs during the period from FY 2014-15 to FY 2024-25 (till Feb, 2025). State-wise & year-wise details of such ROs are given at Annexure.

(c)        Several  initiatives  have  been  taken  by  Public  Sector  OMCs  to  skill  salesmen/ saleswomen at ROs with an objective to enhance their skills, knowledge and competencies, ensuring  improved  service  quality,  operational  efficiency  and  professional  growth.  The initiative  adopts  a  holistic  approach  to  capability  building  by  combining  classroom  training for  behavioural  skill  development  with  mobile  app-based  learning  to  deliver  essential functional  knowledge.  This  dual  approach  ensures  a  well-rounded  learning  experience, fostering both professional competencies and practical expertise. So far, more than 2,25,000 such salesmen /saleswomen have been trained by Public Sector OMCs.

(d) The  year-wise  details  of  number  of  women  in  sales  staff  during  last  five  years  and current year at Public Sector OMCs' Retail Outlets, are as given under:

| Year                         |   2019- 20 |   2020- 21 |   2021- 22 |   2022- 23 |   2023- 24 |   2024-25 (Till Feb, 2025) |
|------------------------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------------------|
| Saleswomen at Retail Outlets |      15863 |      18436 |      20519 |      22730 |      24709 |                      27160 |

(e) and (f) The  sales  personnel  at  OMCs'  ROs  in  the  country  are  employees  of  the  RO dealer/ operator and are appointed by such dealer/ operator. Dealers/ Operators take various welfare measures such as life and health insurance and pension plans for their sales personnel. OMCs'  dealers  have  been  employing  Persons  with  Disabilities  as  sales  personnel.  So  far, OMCs' RO dealers have employed more than 1600 Persons with Disabilities as such sales personnel.

In addition, BPCL has launched #SilentVoices to promote inclusivity at more than 400 ROs across  India  covering  80+  cities.  Under  #SilentVoices  initiative,  550+  Speech  &  Hearing Impaired (SHI) individuals are employed by dealers at Retail Outlets.

Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (b)  of  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.  5467  asked  by  Smt. Shobhanaben Mahendrasinh Baraiya, Shri Praveen Patel for answer on 03.04.2025 regarding 'CustomerCentric Initiatives at the Retail Outlets'

| Number of Retail Outlets where automation systems installed by Public Sector OMCs across the country since FY   | Number of Retail Outlets where automation systems installed by Public Sector OMCs across the country since FY   | Number of Retail Outlets where automation systems installed by Public Sector OMCs across the country since FY   | Number of Retail Outlets where automation systems installed by Public Sector OMCs across the country since FY   | Number of Retail Outlets where automation systems installed by Public Sector OMCs across the country since FY   | Number of Retail Outlets where automation systems installed by Public Sector OMCs across the country since FY   | Number of Retail Outlets where automation systems installed by Public Sector OMCs across the country since FY   | Number of Retail Outlets where automation systems installed by Public Sector OMCs across the country since FY   | Number of Retail Outlets where automation systems installed by Public Sector OMCs across the country since FY   | Number of Retail Outlets where automation systems installed by Public Sector OMCs across the country since FY   | Number of Retail Outlets where automation systems installed by Public Sector OMCs across the country since FY   | Number of Retail Outlets where automation systems installed by Public Sector OMCs across the country since FY   | Number of Retail Outlets where automation systems installed by Public Sector OMCs across the country since FY   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| State/UT                                                                                                        | 2014- 15                                                                                                        | 2015- 16                                                                                                        | 2016- 17                                                                                                        | 2017- 18                                                                                                        | 2018- 19                                                                                                        | 2019- 20                                                                                                        | 2020- 21                                                                                                        | 2021- 22                                                                                                        | 2022- 23                                                                                                        | 2023- 24                                                                                                        | 2024-25 (till Feb 2025)                                                                                         | Total                                                                                                           |
| Andaman& Nicobar                                                                                                | 4                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 1                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 5                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 5                                                                                                               | 4                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 19                                                                                                              |
| Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                  | 96                                                                                                              | 178                                                                                                             | 197                                                                                                             | 447                                                                                                             | 754                                                                                                             | 279                                                                                                             | 254                                                                                                             | 744                                                                                                             | 355                                                                                                             | 258                                                                                                             | 146                                                                                                             | 3708                                                                                                            |
| Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                               | 1                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 1                                                                                                               | 4                                                                                                               | 26                                                                                                              | 6                                                                                                               | 22                                                                                                              | 10                                                                                                              | 18                                                                                                              | 12                                                                                                              | 72                                                                                                              | 172                                                                                                             |
| Assam                                                                                                           | 0                                                                                                               | 22                                                                                                              | 14                                                                                                              | 87                                                                                                              | 246                                                                                                             | 71                                                                                                              | 177                                                                                                             | 170                                                                                                             | 114                                                                                                             | 147                                                                                                             | 87                                                                                                              | 1135                                                                                                            |
| Bihar                                                                                                           | 68                                                                                                              | 117                                                                                                             | 155                                                                                                             | 160                                                                                                             | 945                                                                                                             | 442                                                                                                             | 269                                                                                                             | 466                                                                                                             | 245                                                                                                             | 205                                                                                                             | 125                                                                                                             | 3197                                                                                                            |
| Chandigarh                                                                                                      | 5                                                                                                               | 3                                                                                                               | 2                                                                                                               | 2                                                                                                               | 3                                                                                                               | 1                                                                                                               | 6                                                                                                               | 6                                                                                                               | 1                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 29                                                                                                              |
| Chhattisgarh                                                                                                    | 26                                                                                                              | 73                                                                                                              | 93                                                                                                              | 214                                                                                                             | 403                                                                                                             | 190                                                                                                             | 145                                                                                                             | 233                                                                                                             | 240                                                                                                             | 184                                                                                                             | 137                                                                                                             | 1938                                                                                                            |
| Delhi                                                                                                           | 4                                                                                                               | 15                                                                                                              | 8                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 20                                                                                                              | 3                                                                                                               | 44                                                                                                              | 20                                                                                                              | 4                                                                                                               | 6                                                                                                               | 35                                                                                                              | 159                                                                                                             |
| Goa                                                                                                             | 10                                                                                                              | 11                                                                                                              | 16                                                                                                              | 43                                                                                                              | 53                                                                                                              | 35                                                                                                              | 1                                                                                                               | 42                                                                                                              | 6                                                                                                               | 11                                                                                                              | 61                                                                                                              | 289                                                                                                             |
| Gujarat                                                                                                         | 162                                                                                                             | 139                                                                                                             | 219                                                                                                             | 416                                                                                                             | 664                                                                                                             | 325                                                                                                             | 260                                                                                                             | 486                                                                                                             | 553                                                                                                             | 225                                                                                                             | 282                                                                                                             | 3731                                                                                                            |
| Haryana                                                                                                         | 130                                                                                                             | 136                                                                                                             | 135                                                                                                             | 307                                                                                                             | 851                                                                                                             | 251                                                                                                             | 215                                                                                                             | 521                                                                                                             | 188                                                                                                             | 180                                                                                                             | 239                                                                                                             | 3153                                                                                                            |
| Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                | 11                                                                                                              | 26                                                                                                              | 19                                                                                                              | 93                                                                                                              | 135                                                                                                             | 58                                                                                                              | 65                                                                                                              | 67                                                                                                              | 36                                                                                                              | 43                                                                                                              | 34                                                                                                              | 587                                                                                                             |
| Jammu &Kashmir                                                                                                  | 16                                                                                                              | 18                                                                                                              | 21                                                                                                              | 31                                                                                                              | 170                                                                                                             | 52                                                                                                              | 41                                                                                                              | 137                                                                                                             | 30                                                                                                              | 62                                                                                                              | 44                                                                                                              | 622                                                                                                             |
| Jharkhand                                                                                                       | 35                                                                                                              | 66                                                                                                              | 63                                                                                                              | 109                                                                                                             | 276                                                                                                             | 112                                                                                                             | 121                                                                                                             | 294                                                                                                             | 256                                                                                                             | 75                                                                                                              | 62                                                                                                              | 1469                                                                                                            |
| Karnataka                                                                                                       | 215                                                                                                             | 188                                                                                                             | 208                                                                                                             | 490                                                                                                             | 882                                                                                                             | 438                                                                                                             | 243                                                                                                             | 810                                                                                                             | 569                                                                                                             | 375                                                                                                             | 570                                                                                                             | 4988                                                                                                            |
| Kerala                                                                                                          | 118                                                                                                             | 154                                                                                                             | 125                                                                                                             | 286                                                                                                             | 419                                                                                                             | 176                                                                                                             | 283                                                                                                             | 120                                                                                                             | 168                                                                                                             | 121                                                                                                             | 174                                                                                                             | 2144                                                                                                            |
| Ladakh                                                                                                          | 1                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 1                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 6                                                                                                               | 3                                                                                                               | 3                                                                                                               | 4                                                                                                               | 4                                                                                                               | 4                                                                                                               | 7                                                                                                               | 33                                                                                                              |
| Lakshadeep                                                                                                      | 0                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 4                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 4                                                                                                               |
| Madhya Pradesh                                                                                                  | 103                                                                                                             | 131                                                                                                             | 297                                                                                                             | 381                                                                                                             | 1085                                                                                                            | 519                                                                                                             | 322                                                                                                             | 789                                                                                                             | 625                                                                                                             | 406                                                                                                             | 262                                                                                                             | 4920                                                                                                            |
| Maharashtra                                                                                                     | 215                                                                                                             | 292                                                                                                             | 271                                                                                                             | 571                                                                                                             | 1209                                                                                                            | 692                                                                                                             | 372                                                                                                             | 1177                                                                                                            | 622                                                                                                             | 490                                                                                                             | 485                                                                                                             | 6396                                                                                                            |
| Manipur                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 4                                                                                                               | 17                                                                                                              | 47                                                                                                              | 6                                                                                                               | 5                                                                                                               | 18                                                                                                              | 40                                                                                                              | 28                                                                                                              | 5                                                                                                               | 170                                                                                                             |
| Meghalaya                                                                                                       | 3                                                                                                               | 6                                                                                                               | 8                                                                                                               | 12                                                                                                              | 55                                                                                                              | 18                                                                                                              | 21                                                                                                              | 13                                                                                                              | 29                                                                                                              | 27                                                                                                              | 50                                                                                                              | 242                                                                                                             |
| Mizoram                                                                                                         | 1                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 6                                                                                                               | 33                                                                                                              | 3                                                                                                               | 8                                                                                                               | 6                                                                                                               | 5                                                                                                               | 5                                                                                                               | 13                                                                                                              | 80                                                                                                              |
| Nagaland                                                                                                        | 1                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 1                                                                                                               | 5                                                                                                               | 22                                                                                                              | 5                                                                                                               | 29                                                                                                              | 20                                                                                                              | 26                                                                                                              | 11                                                                                                              | 29                                                                                                              | 149                                                                                                             |
| Odisha                                                                                                          | 62                                                                                                              | 76                                                                                                              | 72                                                                                                              | 103                                                                                                             | 453                                                                                                             | 184                                                                                                             | 295                                                                                                             | 337                                                                                                             | 232                                                                                                             | 115                                                                                                             | 87                                                                                                              | 2016                                                                                                            |
| Pondicherry                                                                                                     | 4                                                                                                               | 5                                                                                                               | 1                                                                                                               | 1                                                                                                               | 21                                                                                                              | 1                                                                                                               | 4                                                                                                               | 4                                                                                                               | 4                                                                                                               | 7                                                                                                               | 52                                                                                                              | 104                                                                                                             |
| Punjab                                                                                                          | 49                                                                                                              | 162                                                                                                             | 190                                                                                                             | 307                                                                                                             | 1263                                                                                                            | 404                                                                                                             | 250                                                                                                             | 381                                                                                                             | 157                                                                                                             | 105                                                                                                             | 147                                                                                                             | 3415                                                                                                            |
| Rajasthan                                                                                                       | 153                                                                                                             | 158                                                                                                             | 229                                                                                                             | 390                                                                                                             | 1175                                                                                                            | 356                                                                                                             | 224                                                                                                             | 1074                                                                                                            | 498                                                                                                             | 375                                                                                                             | 393                                                                                                             | 5025                                                                                                            |
| Sikkim                                                                                                          | 1                                                                                                               | 6                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 6                                                                                                               | 5                                                                                                               | 1                                                                                                               | 8                                                                                                               | 17                                                                                                              | 11                                                                                                              | 4                                                                                                               | 1                                                                                                               | 60                                                                                                              |
| Tamil Nadu                                                                                                      | 139                                                                                                             | 252                                                                                                             | 370                                                                                                             | 555                                                                                                             | 1158                                                                                                            | 677                                                                                                             | 301                                                                                                             | 955                                                                                                             | 384                                                                                                             | 352                                                                                                             | 467                                                                                                             | 5610                                                                                                            |
| Telangana                                                                                                       | 67                                                                                                              | 102                                                                                                             | 193                                                                                                             | 305                                                                                                             | 721                                                                                                             | 248                                                                                                             | 288                                                                                                             | 396                                                                                                             | 438                                                                                                             | 226                                                                                                             | 442                                                                                                             | 3426                                                                                                            |
| Tripura                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                               | 9                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 13                                                                                                              | 23                                                                                                              | 2                                                                                                               | 2                                                                                                               | 5                                                                                                               | 17                                                                                                              | 7                                                                                                               | 11                                                                                                              | 89                                                                                                              |
| Dadra &Nagar Haveli and Daman &Diu                                                                              | 0                                                                                                               | 1                                                                                                               | 1                                                                                                               | 3                                                                                                               | 2                                                                                                               | 1                                                                                                               | 1                                                                                                               | 2                                                                                                               | 1                                                                                                               | 0                                                                                                               | 1                                                                                                               | 13                                                                                                              |
| Uttar Pradesh                                                                                                   | 184                                                                                                             | 335                                                                                                             | 469                                                                                                             | 835                                                                                                             | 2452                                                                                                            | 731                                                                                                             | 543                                                                                                             | 1519                                                                                                            | 1070                                                                                                            | 770                                                                                                             | 833                                                                                                             | 9741                                                                                                            |
| Uttarakhand                                                                                                     | 7                                                                                                               | 48                                                                                                              | 43                                                                                                              | 96                                                                                                              | 122                                                                                                             | 53                                                                                                              | 18                                                                                                              | 156                                                                                                             | 40                                                                                                              | 52                                                                                                              | 47                                                                                                              | 682                                                                                                             |
| West Bengal                                                                                                     | 113                                                                                                             | 88                                                                                                              | 90                                                                                                              | 246                                                                                                             | 678                                                                                                             | 188                                                                                                             | 140                                                                                                             | 641                                                                                                             | 207                                                                                                             | 123                                                                                                             | 123                                                                                                             | 2637                                                                                                            |
| Total                                                                                                           | 2004                                                                                                            | 2817                                                                                                            | 3517                                                                                                            | 6541                                                                                                            | 16382                                                                                                           | 6531                                                                                                            | 4980                                                                                                            | 11645                                                                                                           | 7197                                                                                                            | 5015                                                                                                            | 5523                                                                                                            | 72152                                                                                                           |

(Source - PSU OMCs)

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