The Confederation of Indian Petroleum Dealers (CIPD) on Wednesday threatened to restrict their working hours from October 15 to press for higher commission on sale of petroleum products.
The National Federation of LPG Distributors of India (NFLDI) has also threatened to go on strike from October 1, stating they will not be in a position to keep a watch on the multiple rate policy regime introduced for domestic LPG cylinders.
The CIPD, which has a following in Maharashtra and Gujarat, has written to the Petroleum Ministry, stating that petrol pump dealers were facing a great financial crisis as the operational costs had gone up tremendously and they had no option but to reduce the cost of operations by operating a single shift from October 15 to reduce the cost on manpower and power consumption. Vehicle-owners should plan their purchases during the restricted hours.
However, the Federation of All India Petroleum Traders, headed by Ashok Bhadwar, which claims to have membership of 42,000 petrol pump owners, has not given any call for such an agitation.
The cooking gas distributors said the government should put in place a uniform pricing mechanism and make direct transfer of subsidy to the intended beneficiaries, as they would not be able to keep a watch on the multiple pricing policy for LPG cylinders.
In a statement here, the NFLDI said distributors were struggling due to dual pricing, inadequate commission, ineffective cylinder seal, forced VIP off-takes and a supply system that was not foolproof.
