New Delhi: Petrol, diesel and gas outlets of state-run companies will stop accepting the banned high-value currency from Saturday according to a Finance Ministry notification here. This deadline for the old Rs 500 notes, which applies also for the purchase of airline tickets, was earlier December 15.
With effect from December 3, 2016, old Rs 500 notes cannot be used for purchase of petrol, diesel and gas at the stations operating under authorisation of public sector oil marketing companies and for buying airline tickets at airport counters, a government notification said. While junking old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 rupee notes on November 8, the government had allowed their use for utility bill payments for 72 hours.
This deadline was extended twice and when the last one was to expire on November 24, it amended it to state that only the old Rs 500 rupee note could be used for payment of utility bills like electricity, water, school fees, pre-paid mobile top-up, fuel purchase and airline ticket booking. While the old note will continue to be accepted for the other utility bill payments as well as at railway ticketing counters and counters of government or public sector undertaking buses for purchase of bus tickets till December 15, it will be discontinued for purchase of fuel and airline tickets at airport counters.
Also, the government has dropped earlier announced plan to allow the use of Rs 500 rupee notes for payment of toll at national highways from December 3. Toll payment in both old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 rupee notes was accepted till December 2 and from December 3 it was to be limited in 500 rupee notes. But now this facility too has been withdrawn.
From December 3, fuel purchase, airline ticket booking at airport counters and highway toll payment would be allowed only in lower denomination currency or the new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 rupee notes.
The supply of LPG, or cooking gas, also continues to be in the exempted category for the purpose of payment through old Rs 500 bank notes.
