CHENNAI: Petroleum dealers on Monday demanded uniform prices for fuel products across the country, a five per cent commission for petrol pump traders and a clamp on new outlets.Addressing a press meet here, president of the Federation of All India Petroleum Traders (FAIPT) Ashok Badhwar said the Union government had increased the price of fuel but had not raised the commission. Currently, the dealers are getting two per cent commission.“The government did not follow the recommendations of the interim committee headed by former joint secretary of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Apoorva Chandra. While the committee has fixed 39.5 paise increase in commission, the ministry raised it by 27.5 paise,” Badhwar said.He said the report was to be submitted in three months, but the panel took nine months. “We are also demanding arrears of six months,” he added. A single rate for petroleum products would result in curbing smuggling of products from one state to another, he opined. Besides, dealers on adjacent districts won’t lose their volume to other state dealers due to price variation. Badhwar also sought provision of CCTV in the retail outlets and said oil companies should come forward to provide subsidy for provision of this security system.They also sought a common way for quality check of fuel. “There should be a common quality check. We should be provided devices so that apart from the oil company officials, everyone, including government agencies, consumers and dealers, can check quality,” he said.He also said that the growth of petrol stations affect the volume of existing outlets as there is negligible growth in auto fuels. “As long as oil companies are not making profit and dealers are not earning substantial revenues, no new pumps should be opened,” he said.
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