Oil firms set up system for smooth daily fuel price change

State-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) have set up a system for the smooth rollout of the daily revision of transport fuel prices across the country, the biggest OMC Indian Oil Corp (IOC) said on Sunday, even as a petrol pump dealers` body threatened to go on strike against dynamic fuel pricing.

Petrol and diesel prices will be revised daily from June 16 onwards by the three OMCs in sync with global crude oil prices.

Daily revision of Retail Selling Prices (RSP) has already been implemented on a pilot basis in Udaipur, Jamshedpur, Visakhapatnam, Chandigarh and Puducherry from May 1.

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After the success of the experiment, IOC, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd have now decided to implement it across the country.

"This move will ensure that the benefit of even the smallest change in international oil prices can be passed down the line to the dealers and the end users," Indian Oil said in a statement here. 

All 26,000-plus Indian Oil dealers will be given timely information on the effective prices at a pre-designated time -- say 8 p.m. for the next day.

"At a large number of Indian Oil`s 10,000 automated fuel stations, daily price can be automatically updated centrally. Besides, technology also provides for scheduling the price change at midnight," it said. 

At the non-automated petrol pumps, dealers would get the updated price by way of four distinct means: customised SMSes, emails, mobile app and web portal for dealers. 

Dealers will ensure price update at their fuel stations before start of sale, every day. Updated prices will be immediately exhibited at all petrol pumps for information of the public, the statement said. 

For their convenience and assurance, customers would be able to fetch daily updated prices of petrol and diesel at all cities through Indian Oil`s mobile app. Alternatively, customers may cross-check the prices applicable in their cities by sending an SMS.

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Meanwhile, the Federation of All India Petroleum Traders (FAIPT) has, in a statement, said there will be "no purchase no sale" of petrol and diesel on June 16 to protest the decision. 

"Dealers of five cities where it was launched have already burnt their fingers. They are crying at the inventory loss that they have already suffered due to the fluctuations in the daily changing prices on the inventory held by them," FAIPT said.

"One tank lorry of 18 kilolitres lasts most of such small dealers 7 to 10 days. Any such decision shall wipe out his entire working capital if the prices were to go down frequently," it said. 

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The association also said that there are dealerships where a tank lorry takes two-to-three days to reach the petrol pump and in such cases there is a strong possibility that by the time the tank lorry reaches the retail outlet its price might have already reduced causing losses to the dealer.