DPIIT launches paperless licensing process for petroleum service stations

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) on Monday said it has launched paperless licensing process for petroleum service stations such as retail outlets storing and dispensing petrol/diesel for motor conveyances.

It was launched through Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) under the Petroleum Rules, 2002.

Paperless application and grant of licence process for road tankers for transportation of petroleum under the rules has already been launched earlier this month.

"After the launch of paperless process, more than 300 licences have been issued," the department said in a statement.

Taken together, it said, licences for petroleum service stations and road tankers for transportation of petroleum account for more than 85 per cent of total licences under the rules.

"This initiative for petroleum pump licensing is directly going to benefit more than 70,000 petroleum pump owners and oil marketing companies," it added.

It said an added advantage of this move is that the authenticity of the licence may be verified on PESO's portal.

"This automation will greatly benefit the petroleum and gas industry," it said.

This initiative, the department said, is in line with the government's vision to promote ease of doing business towards paperless India that will provide simpler mechanism, and business to petroleum road tanker owners.

"The process will include filing the applications online, online payment of fees which will go directly to the concerned officer's ID without any manual interface," it said.

Applicants, at each stage of processing of the application, will be intimated via SMS and e-mail, in case of discrepancy or grant of licence or approval.

These details will also be reflected in the applicant's profile. The entire process will not require any printing and physical dispatch of licence. The licence will be dispatched electronically, it said.