The Dept of Consumer Affairs has widened the role of Government-Approved Test Centres to include verification of petrol, diesel, and clean fuel dispensers like CNG, LPG, LNG, and hydrogen, aiming to ensure measurement accuracy and boost consumer trust.
India's clean fuel push got a new layer of consumer protection on May 24, 2026, as the Department of Consumer Affairs widened the role of Government-Approved Test Centres to include verification of petrol, diesel, CNG, LPG, LNG and hydrogen dispensers.
The amendment to the Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2013, is being positioned as a step to improve measurement accuracy at the pump while easing the load on state departments. "The move is expected to enhance the availability of verification services, improve efficiency and support the growing adoption of cleaner fuels across the country," the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said in its release.
Until now, GATCs have handled 18 categories of weights and measures. With five new fuel dispensing systems added, that list has grown to 23. The inclusion comes as India's energy mix shifts. "The inclusion of CNG, LNG and Hydrogen dispensers under the GATC framework comes at a time when the use of cleaner fuels is increasing across the country," the department said.
Consumer Protection and Transparency
For consumers, the change is meant to address a basic question: Are they getting exactly what they pay for? "The measure will help ensure accurate fuel delivery and greater transparency in transactions," it added.
New Fee Structure and Private Sector Involvement
Fees have been standardised under the new rules. "Under the amended Rules, the verification fee for Petrol and Diesel dispensers has been fixed at Rs 5,000 per nozzle, while the fee for CNG, LPG, LNG and Hydrogen dispensers has been fixed at Rs 10,000 per nozzle," the ministry stated.
The structure is designed to bring private laboratories and industries deeper into the verification process, operating as GATCs with the technical expertise required under the Legal Metrology Act.
State-Level Empowerment and Administrative Efficiency
States have also been given more flexibility. "The amendments empower State Governments to notify additional categories of weights and measures for verification through GATCs under their respective Rules," the release said, noting this would "help expand verification services based on local requirements."
To reduce delays, officers of Joint Secretary rank and above can now clear approvals. "To improve administrative efficiency, officers of the rank of Joint Secretary and above have also been authorised to exercise powers under relevant provisions of the Rules, enabling quicker processing of approvals and related matters," it said.
Strengthening the Verification Ecosystem
The department emphasised that GATCs are already central to the system. "Government Approved Test Centres (GATCs) are already playing an important role in providing timely and reliable verification services for weighing and measuring instruments across the country," the ministry noted.
With the expanded scope, State Legal Metrology Departments can "focus more on inspection, enforcement and consumer grievance redressal." (ANI)
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