What is the role of Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC)?

• Data on oil imports from Russia to India cannot be provided as it is exempted under the RTI Act due to its commercial and confidential nature, according to the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

• The Central Information Commission has upheld the denial of detailed data, citing strategic and economic interests of the country.

• The case relates to an RTI plea seeking details of crude oil imported from Russia to India between June 2022 and June 2025.

• The Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) had denied the information.

Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell (PPAC)

• Subsequent to the dismantling of the Administered Pricing Mechanism (APM) in the petroleum sector, Oil Coordination Committee (OCC) was abolished and a new cell called Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell (PPAC) was created effective on April 1, 2002.

• PPAC is an attached office of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.

• It assists the ministry in the discharge of its responsibilities, particularly pricing of petroleum products and administration of subsidy schemes.

• It collects and analyses data on the oil and gas sector.

• It disseminates many reports on the oil and gas sector to the various stakeholders. 

• The data is obtained from the public sector companies, government agencies as well as the private companies. 

• PPAC assists the government in administration of subsidies on PDS kerosene and domestic LPG and freight subsidy for far flung areas.

• Given the ever-increasing demand for energy and transition of energy demand to renewables and biofuels, policy makers and analysts need to be well informed about the updated trends in the oil and gas industry.

• The expenditure of PPAC is borne by Oil Industry Development Board (OIDB).

Objectives of PPAC:

i) Ensure effective administration of the subsidy schemes notified by the government.

ii) Monitor and analyse trends in prices of crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas and their impact on the oil companies and consumers, and prepare appropriate technical inputs for policy making.

iii) Monitor developments in the domestic market and analyse options for policy changes in pricing, transportation distribution of petroleum products.

iv) Collect, compile and disseminate data on the domestic oil and gas sector in a continuous manner and maintain the data bank.

v) Ensure quality of data in terms of prescribed parameters such as accuracy, completeness and timeliness.

vi) Prepare periodic reports on various aspects of the oil and gas sector.