Centre eyes caste info of petrol pump workers

Hyderabad: The Centre has in principle agreed to collect details of caste and religion of employees working at petroleum outlets through oil manufacturing companies. The government says this is being done to generate employment under the National Skill Development Corporation. 

But petroleum dealers have rightly raised concerns over breach of privacy of employees at a time when India is facing an acute threat of personal data leaks.
Across Telangana State and Andhra Pradesh, sales officers of Indian Oil Company (IOC), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Limited (BPL) have been gathering personal data, including Aaadhar card, details of religion, caste, constituency, even bank account and educational backdrop. 

There are over 3,600 petrol bunks across Telangana and 2,750 in Andhra Pradesh, and each bunk employ over 20 members, which adds up to around 1.10 lakh employees. Only a marginal per cent of the staff disclosed their details while 90 per cent refused to do so. 

Dealers too are firm on not disclosing information. The Ministry of Petroleum was asked why private details of staff are being collected for a skills development programme. 

This what Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan, said in reply: “Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have informed that Hydrocarbon Sector Skill Council (HSSC) for the oil & gas sector has been set up under the aegis of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas with its primary objective being to execute skill development activities in Indian hydrocarbon sector and meeting the entire value chain requirement of appropriately trained manpower in quantity and quality on a sustained and evolving basis.

“HSSC has advised that assessment and certification of prior learning are required to be done by the best in class employers for their retail outlet attendants, LPG delivery personnel and tank lorry drivers under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Accordingly, all identified employers assessors have been requested to collect the data as per the format of National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), the ministry of skills development and entrepreneurship circulated by HSSC.”