Punjab petrol dealers seek permanent exemption from UPI payment charges
Petrol pump dealers in Punjab are asking for a permanent exemption from UPI payment charges, arguing these digital fees eat into their already fixed margins.
Even though the charges have been postponed until Diwali, dealers say it's not enough. They want a long-term fix so they're not stuck paying extra every time someone pays by phone.
Punjab dealers seek higher margins, safety
Dealers are also pushing for better profit margins to keep up with rising costs and inflation.
They say declining sales, fuel smuggling due to tax differences with Chandigarh, and recent safety incident, like the tragic death of a sales officer, are making business tough.
Sanjeev Chaudhary, PDWAH president, says "More than 80% of a dealer's margin goes toward fixed operational expenses, including salaries, electricity bills, interest on capital investments and compliance-related costs imposed by OMCs," and that margins "remained inadequate to meet rising establishment costs."
Dealers are urging oil companies to step up on both financial support and employee safety.