It is stated that the NDA government is considering bringing back discretionary quota for the Petroleum Ministry in allotment of gas agencies and petrol pumps under the garb of "merit" and the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas reserves its rights to allot direct LPG distributorship to any individual in consultation with OMCs (Oil Marketing Companies).
Last Friday according to the proposed Unified Guidelines for Selection of LPG Distributorship 2016 approved by Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, there will be a "separate policy for direct allotment of distributorship to (an) individual in exceptional cases on merit.
But the UPA abolished the discretionary quota in December 2006 saying that assistance to defense and government personnel could be taken care of under the 8-per cent reservation available for this category in both Open and SC and ST groups.
The Ministry has retained the 8 per cent reservation under "government personnel" category but added ex-servicemen, including from the central paramilitary forces, to the eligible list of disabled servicemen, dependents and widows of martyr servicemen and government employees. Presently, the draw is done at a public gathering in the presence of at least half of the applicants and the entire process is video graphed
