Amid disruptions in the global energy supply chain, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Monday assured the public that the country has sufficient oil reserves, refineries are operating efficiently and there is no shortage of fuel across the country.
Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing in Delhi, Sujata Sharma said that the government has introduced several effective steps to maintain uninterrupted supply of fuel to consumers.
Sujata Sharma commented, “There has been a disruption in the global energy supply chain across the world. Significant price fluctuations are being observed in the international market. However, the Government of India has taken several effective measures to ensure that fuel supply to the common consumer is maintained with minimum inconvenience. As a result of all these steps taken, our oil reserves remain well maintained.”
Highlighting the supply position, Sharma said 1.26 lakh LPG cylinders have been delivered to households in the last three days against 1.14 lakh bookings.
“Similarly, commercial LPG sales have crossed 17,000 tonnes in the last three days. Auto LPG sales have also crossed 762 tonnes,” she added.
Sharma also reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s seven calls for citizens to reduce fuel consumption and adopt energy-saving measures in their daily lives.
“I would like to inform you that Mr. Prime Minister has called on all citizens of the country to reduce the consumption of gasoline and diesel. Where possible, use the metro and public transport, choose carpooling, prefer the railway as a method of transporting goods and, where possible, increase the use of electric cars,” she said.
“We will all come together and make every possible effort to conserve energy in our daily lives so that the economic burden currently weighing on the nation can be eased,” Sharma added.
Addressing a rally in Secunderabad on Sunday, Prime Minister Modi urged citizens to prioritize working from home, reduce fuel consumption, avoid foreign travel for a year, adopt Swadeshi products, reduce consumption of cooking oil, switch to organic farming and limit purchases of gold.
Emphasizing the need to reduce import dependence, he said every household should reduce consumption of edible oil and switch to natural farming to help save foreign exchange and protect the environment.
Highlighting the burden of fertilizer imports, Prime Minister Modi said that India spends a significant amount of foreign exchange on importing chemical fertilizers and urged farmers to reduce their use.
To mitigate the impact of fluctuating fuel prices, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for a change in mobility habits in India. He urged people to use metro systems and public transport whenever possible, share private vehicles through car sharing when needed, rely more on rail for freight and use electric vehicles whenever possible.
(With input from agencies)
