Nilekani wants to tap database of oil sector consumers

Nandan Nilekani, who heads the Unique Identification Authority of India, Tuesday approached the petroleum and natural gas ministry to tap into the massive database of oil and cooking gas consumers that covers nearlty half the population.

The ministry assured full cooperation to the former Infosys co-chairman.

Nilekani, who has a cabinet minister's rank, met Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Jitin Prasada, Petroleum Secretary R.S. Pandey and senior ministry officials.

A ministry statement said the huge database with oil marketing companies of customers of petroleum products such as cooking gas will be useful in covering a large part of the population.

“At present, there are more than 10 crore (100 million) LPG customers enrolled with the OMCs which cover 50 percent of the population of the country,” it said.

Nilekani said the oil sector's database of consumers was a “huge attraction and resource towards accomplishing the task in his hand”.

“It was in this context that he decided to call on the petroleum minister even before he formally assumed charge of the authority,” said the press release.

The ministry officials also underlined that synchronisation of the data, standardisation of the biometric information and the technology will go a long way in serving the purpose of the authority and the oil sector.

“The identification of the customers will help in better targeting the subsidised products like LPG (domestic) and PDS kerosene,” the statement added.

Deora pointed out that a pilot project will soon be launched in Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad and a few villages for issuing smart cards to the consumers of PDS (public distribution system) kerosene and domestic LPG.

“The experience of the pilot project would be shared with the Authority as also utilise the expertise of the personnel with the Unique ID Authority in further expansion of the programme,” the ministry stated.

Last updated on Jul 14^th, 2009 at 21:41 pm IST--IANS