Will petrol pumps in Punjab remain closed today? What you need to know
Punjab Petrol Pump Strike: Punjab petrol pumps close? Check latest updates here
Punjab Petrol Pump Strike: Petrol Pump Dealer Association (PPDA) strike in Punjab has been paused as a meeting between the Association and the Oil Companies is scheduled for today. With this, petrol pumps across Punjab which were supposed to be shut today (February 22) will remain open. Dealers in the state have been demanding an increase in their commission but the strike was put on hold as the PPDA decided to wait until the meeting is held. If the meeting remains inconclusive, PPDA has said, as per Rozana Spokesman report, that it will start the strike on Thursday- February 29.
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Punjab Petrol Pump Strike: Why are Petrol Pump dealers protesting?
Since last seven years, oil marketing companies (OMCs) had not raised margins for the dealers, resulting in the latter to protest. Ashok Sachdeva, chairman of the PPDA said that since 2017 the price of fuel stayed about ₹3 per litre, while ₹2 per litre remained for diesel. The PPDA chairman had earlier said that no dealer will purchase fuel from oil companies on February 15 and that all pumps in Punjab will be closed on February 22. This has resulted in a supply disruption in the state and also led to panic buying.
Ashok Sachdeva also said that the PPDA expects more states to join the protest as it will extended if the government does not respond to their demands.
This comes as farmers in Punjab have resumed their protests demanding a legal guarantee for a minimum support price for crops and a waiver of farm debt.