Government urges public not to panic while booking LPG, says supply is sufficient.
Government assures adequate LPG supply nationwide and urges people not to panic while booking cylinders. ⛽
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu) - The government said on Friday that domestic production of cooking gas (LPG) in the country has increased by about 30 percent and there is adequate supply of fuel in India despite the ongoing tension in West Asia.
Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing and Oil Refinery) in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said at an inter-ministerial briefing that the country's refineries are now producing about 30 percent more LPG than they were on March 5. She said the government is making continuous efforts to ensure uninterrupted supply of cooking gas to households and essential institutions.
Sharma stated that households, hospitals, and educational institutions are being prioritized for LPG supply. He also stated that commercial gas cylinders have been made available to state governments so that they can distribute them on a priority basis, depending on the need. The government has also assured that the country has sufficient refining capacity and adequate fuel reserves. India's current crude oil refining capacity is 258 million metric tons, and the country's refineries are currently operating at full capacity. Sharma stated that this has made India virtually self-sufficient in petrol and diesel production, reducing the need to import these fuels.
He stated that there is no shortage of petrol and diesel anywhere in the country, and none of the nearly 100,000 petrol pumps have reported a fuel shortage. He added that petrol pumps are operating normally and have adequate fuel stocks. According to Sharma, refineries also have adequate crude oil reserves, and supplies are being continuously supplied to ensure smooth operations. The government also stated that the supply of piped natural gas (PNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) is also completely stable.
Sharma stated that the supply of PNG for homes and CNG for vehicles continues uninterrupted. Currently, approximately 15 million homes in the country are connected to the PNG network, while approximately 6 million homes located near gas pipelines can easily obtain PNG connections. He encouraged such consumers to adopt PNG to reduce pressure on LPG demand.