LPG bookings rose to 75.7 lakh from a pre-war average of 55.7 lakh, the petroleum ministry said on March 13, attributing the rise to panic bookings amid the ongoing crisis.
However, the government urged consumers not to stock up and assured that there would be no disruption to supplies.
“No need to do panic booking, no drying up at any LPG dealer,” Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing & Oil Refinery), Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, said at a press conference today.
It said that the supply of Pipeline Natural Gas (PNG) to domestic consumers and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is ensured without any interruptions and outages. “Given this situation, there is absolutely no need to panic,” she added.
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The official said petrol and diesel were available in sufficient quantity at all petrol stations. However, she added that LPG remains a matter of concern, although no drying up has been reported at any of the country’s 25,000 distributors. She also appealed to citizens not to believe rumors and refrain from panic buying.
The government provides supplies to domestic and commercial customers
Sharma added that the government has ensured uninterrupted supply of LPG to domestic households, while supplies are also being made to hospitals and educational institutions. She said domestic production of LPG has increased by 30%, adding that the refinery is currently producing 30% more LPG compared to March 5.
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Sharma said commercial LPG cylinders have been made available to state governments to facilitate priority distribution. She added that the Center has asked the states to set priority criteria and ensure that the pressure cylinders reach the intended consumers.
Further commenting on the condition of commercial consumers in major urban cities and centres, many of whom are facing problems due to their dependence on LPG supply, Sharma said the government is “making every effort to address their concerns”.
“We appeal to all such commercial consumers to contact their local CGD (City Gas Distribution) network provider or their designated dealer to get a PNG connection,” Sharma added.
“India self-sufficient in petrol and diesel”
Sharma further said that India is “self-sufficient” in the production of petrol and diesel and there is no need to import them.
“For oil, we have a refining capacity of 258 million metric tonnes. We are self-sufficient in the production of petrol and diesel, so there is no need to import these fuels into India. All our refineries are currently operating at 100% capacity or above,” she said.
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Sharma added that the refineries are holding sufficient oil stocks and that supplies are being consistently maintained.
Why is India facing shortage of LPG, LNG and crude oil?
The United States and Israel’s attacks on Iran, followed by Tehran’s retaliation, led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that carries around 85-90% of India’s LPG imports from West Asia, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
To create a buffer against regional disruptions, India has been steadily reducing its dependence on the Strait of Hormuz, with nearly 70% of its oil imports now coming through alternative routes, according to the oil ministry.
(With input from agencies)
