Petroleum Minister Launches Mega Petroleum Conservation Campaign

Fuel Benchmarking Norms for LPG stoves and Diesel Pump to be announced soon

Dr. M.Veerappa Moily, Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas has launched the Mega Petroleum Conservation Campaign for fuel conservation.

Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) has formulated benchmarking norms for LPG stoves, and diesel pumps, in consultation with Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and other stakeholders. BEE would announce these norms by this year.

India’s energy demand has been growing rapidly since the last two decades. This demand has been boosted by industrial growth and also because of the rise in household consumption.

Dr Moily pointed out that a key strategy for fuel saving would be to introduce fuel economy standards for vehicles. In fact, a large number of countries have already set up mandatory standards for their vehicle fleet as a primary step towards fuel conservation. These include Europe, China, Japan, USA, Canada, Australia, Taiwan and South Korea.

He stressed implementation of fuel economy standards for vehicles which will not only help in achieving substantial savings in fuel consumption but will also facilitate in deriving considerable co-benefits in terms of reduced CO₂ emissions and other local pollutants.

 The Minister further said that the increase in oil consumption by the road transport sector over the past few decades has been fuelled primarily by economic growth coupled with preference for personal vehicles (cars and SUVs), especially the bigger and more powerful ones that are oil guzzlers. Moreover, a large chunk of freight (intra-city and inter-city) is transported via road transport leading to excess demand for oil and heavy impact on the environment and health. ADB has projected in its report on on-road transport in Asia that if the “business as usual” scenario continues, the oil consumption of on-road-vehicles in India might gear up to nearly six times in 2035, which is quite alarming.

The Minister added that as part of this Mega Campaign we will also be undertaking a large-scale Media Campaign including print, television, radio, cinema, websites, etc. We will also be conducting LPG Clinics, Kisan Melas, driver training programmes, Nukkad Nataks, Marathons, checking of vehicles at ROs etc. to drive home the message of ‘fuel conservation’. PCRA will also be using SMS facility to give fuel saving tips direct to the consumers.

Dr. Moily re-iterated that he has personally taken up with the Union Power Minister, Road, Transport & Highways Minister, Urban Development Minister and Agriculture Minister to support this mega campaign through their activities.” I have also sought the support of all Chief Ministers in this nationwide campaign for propagating the petroleum conservation message. I have requested the Urban Development Minister to introduce “Free Cycle Scheme” in select cities for saving fuel and offered funding support from our oil sector companies. I have written to MOS for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, asking him to consider ‘staggered office timings’ for Government offices, which will help in decongesting road traffic during peak hours. I have also urged all the Chief Ministers, major PSU heads and heads of different central ministries to declare one day of the week as ‘bus day’ during which all may be encouraged to utilize only public transport for their daily commute”. Dr Moily added.

PIB