The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas assured that domestic LPG supply remains steady despite disruptions from the West Asia crisis. Online bookings for cooking gas surged to 99%, ensuring no dry-outs at retail distributorships. Deliveries of domestic LPG, authenticated via mobile codes, have risen to about 94% to prevent diversion at the distributor level.
More than 23.58 lakh small 5 kg LPG cylinders, mainly for migrant laborers, have been sold since April 1. Additionally, around 6.12 lakh PNG connections have been gasified, with infrastructure set up for an extra 2.67 lakh connections. The ministry also reported registering about 6.79 lakh new connections since March this year.
Retail prices for petrol and diesel have remained stable despite global oil price spikes. Adequate stocks of these fuels are available at all public sector oil company pumps nationwide, including Indian Oil, BPCL, and HPCL. Enforcement actions are ongoing to combat hoarding and black marketing of LPG, with over 1,570 raids conducted across the country.
Public sector oil companies are actively conducting surprise inspections to ensure compliance. Penalties have been imposed on 349 LPG distributorships, and 74 have been suspended. More than 43,760 PNG consumers have surrendered their LPG connections through MYPNGD.in, aiming to alleviate pressure on LPG demand.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas emphasized its commitment to maintaining uninterrupted availability of petroleum products and LPG nationwide, despite challenges like the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Citizens are urged against panic buying of petrol, diesel, and LPG, advised to rely on official sources for accurate information, and encouraged to use digital booking platforms for LPG orders.
All refineries are operating at high capacity with ample crude inventories, ensuring sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel. Local LPG production from refineries has been boosted to support domestic consumption, reinforcing the stability of the supply chain.
