The government may soon allow oil companies start home delivery of petrol and CNG. After delivery of diesel, the government plans to start home delivery of petrol and CNG for the greater convenience of customers, said Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday.

The move will ensure delivery of essential fuels at doorstep amid the ongoing coronavirus lockdown announced by PM Modi in March this year.

Largest oil marketing company Indian Oil Corporation commenced home delivery of diesel in 2018 through mobile dispensers at select cities in India. The country is third biggest buyer of oil. However, fuel consumption has crashed by nearly 70% in April.

Demand for petrol is down 47% below the same time last year, while diesel consumption has dipped 35%.  On the other hand, Repos Energy, a start-up backed by Tata Group plans to launch mobile petrol pumps to provide fuel at home. The Pune-based company is aiming to produce 3,200 such mobile petrol pumps in the current financial year.

The minister also said government is planning to make all types of fuels - petrol, diesel, CNG, LNG and LPG at a single place for the customers.

Pradhan was speaking on the occasion of inauguration of 56 new CNG stations in 11 states - Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, New Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh.

According to a statement issued by the government, "Completion of work at these stations was affected due to the countrywide lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus. However, after easing of restrictions last month, the work gathered pace and was carried out ensuring all safety and social distancing norms. This ensured minimum delay in commissioning of these stations as against the original schedule."