New Delhi: The Indian government has invoked the Essential Commodities Act, making it mandatory for all oil and gas entities to share their latest data with the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC).
The move aims to help the ministry plan for exigencies amidst the ongoing global energy crisis due to the war in West Asia.
PPAC, the data-keeper of the oil ministry, will now be able to seek granular data almost in real-time, allowing the ministry to make informed decisions.
Any violation of the order issued under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act is considered a criminal offence and may even lead to imprisonment.
The government has also taken steps to curb hoarding and black marketing, with states and local administrations activating control rooms and intensifying raids.
Oil marketing companies are conducting inspections, and customers are increasingly adopting online booking, with 94% of bookings now done online.
Additionally, about 83% of LPG refills have been delivered through OTP-based delivery authentication code (DAC) to ensure supplies reach the right consumers.
