West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said LPG and CNG supply companies should come up with a standard operating procedure and start allocating supplies. File | Photo credit: ANI
KOLKATA
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday (March 11, 2026) held a meeting to review the shortage of LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) and other petroleum products affecting people across the state.
Also Read: LPG Crisis Update 11 March 2026
Ms. Banerjee said LPG and CNG supply companies should come up with a standard operating procedure and start allocating supplies.
The chief minister said her government would not allow hoarding of gas cylinders and instructed district magistrates and superintendents of police to do so. However, she added that numbers for booking gas cylinders online should start working. The meeting was held at Soujanya Auditorium in Alipore. Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty and Director General of Police Peeyush Pandey along with representatives of LPG and CNG distribution companies were present at the meeting.
Ms. Banerjee said that Secretary of State for Industries Vandana Srivastava will be the nodal officer to coordinate with LPG and CNG distribution companies.
The Center should monitor the situation
Since the distribution of petroleum products is the responsibility of the central government, the chief minister said the focus should be on “planning and monitoring” the situation. Ms. Banerjee said she did not want the issue to become political. Earlier in the day, the chief minister spoke to at least two television news channels and hinted that she might lead protests against the situation.
On 8 March, the Chief Minister and other members of the Trinamool Congress staged protests against the ₹60 per bottle hike in domestic cooking gas prices.
People throughout the state crowded the offices of distribution agencies. Many people have complained that they have run out of LPG and are unable to book refills. Some schools said they did not have LPG to cook mid-day meals, while some government hospitals complained that they had limited supplies of fuel to cook meals for patients. Several restaurant associations have warned that continued supply cuts could disrupt operations and even force temporary closures if the situation persists.
Supply concerns have also affected urban transport, especially autorickshaws, which are dependent on CNG. On some routes, rickshaws have increased fares due to non-availability of CNG.
Published – 11 March 2026 21:16 IST
