A pilot study for QR code tagging of cylinders has been undertaken by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) at Madanpur Khadar Bottling Plant, Delhi. Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) has accorded approval for a period of 3 months w.e.f. 01.09.2022 for filling of QR coded LPG cylinders at Madanpur Khadar Bottling plant and dispatch to only two distributors of Delhi Market. Subsequently PESO has extended the permission further for 3 more months i.e. till 28.02.2023. This initiative has potential to resolve issues of pilferage, tracking and tracing and better inventory management of gas cylinders. IOCL has sent total 23,827 such QR tagged 14.2 Kg LPG cylinders to these distributors till 27.11.2022.

Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies(OMCs) have taken several steps to prevent pilferage/supply of underweight cylinders to LPG consumers, which inter-alia include, random weight checking of filled cylinders at bottling plant, sealing of cylinders with Tamper Evident Seal, Statistical Quality Control on 10 % cylinders received from bottling plant, pre-delivery checks of cylinders, carrying portable weighing scales by delivery persons, random checks by OMC officials at go-down/delivery points/en-route, organizing public awareness campaigns etc.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Rameswar Teli in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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RKJ/M