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PM orders cancellation of petrol pump allotments

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Monday ordered the cancellation of all allotments of petrol pumps, liquefied petroleum gas and kerosene agencies made after January 2000.

However, the allotment of petrol pumps and LPG agencies to families of Kargil martyrs will remain unaffected.

"Since a controversy has arisen with regard to these allotments, the prime minister has directed the ministry to initiate steps to cancel all allotments made with effect from January 2000 till date," a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said.

It said all concerned petrol pumps and LPG and kerosene agencies will be auctioned on the basis of competitive bidding.

Vajpayee's direction to the petroleum ministry comes in the wake of a controversy kicked up over the allotments made by the dealer selection boards to the relatives and associates of Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in various parts of the country.

Allotments had also been made to relatives of leaders belonging to allied parties and RSS which came under attack from political rivals who forced adjournment of both the Houses of Parliament on Monday demanding cancellation of the allotments and resignation of Petroleum Minister Ram Naik.

A media release from the Prime Minister's Office said the prime minister reviewed the allotment of petrol pumps and LPG gas and kerosene agencies by public sector oil companies.

It was emphasised that all allotments had been made on the recommendations of dealership selection boards which are headed by retired judges.

However, since a controversy has arisen with regard to these allotments, the prime minister has directed the ministry of petroleum and natural gas to initiate steps to cancel all allotments made with effect from January, 2000 till date, the release said.

"All concerned petrol pumps and LPG and kerosene agencies will be auctioned on the basis of competitive bidding.

Modalities for the reallotment on competitive bidding shall be finalised by the ministry concerned," it said.

Before the issue of the statement, the prime minister had a meeting with Naik, in which Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan, Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj and BJP leaders Arun Jaitley and V K Malhotra were present.

Naik, however, categorically stated that not even a single pump was allotted out-of-turn or under the discretionary quota in the last two-and-a-half-years.

"Under the procedures laid down by us, we have not allotted even a single petrol pump under the discretionary quota or the out-of-turn scheme in the last two-and-a-half years," Naik told reporters outside the Parliament after both Houses were adjourned for the day following uproar on the issue.

"I will come out with other facts through my statement in Parliament," he said, adding, "I was not allowed to make a statement in the House today."

The minister said he has already given his statement to both the Speaker and the Deputy Chairperson.

Additional inputs: UNI

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