LPG crisis in India grows: Govt bars PNG connection holders from keeping gas cyl ...
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gason Saturday said that people who have Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections will no longer be allowed to keep, obtain or refill domestic Liquefied Petroleum Gas(LPG) cylinders after a change in the supply rules. This move comes as the intensifying West Asia conflictand subsequent naval blockades have choked critical energy corridors, forcing the government to aggressively prioritise dwindling fuel stocks for those without alternative cooking gas sources.According to the ministry, the new rule also prevents government oil companies from giving new LPG connections or refilling cylinders for consumers who already have PNG connections.
Under the revised rules, households with PNG connections will not be allowed to keep domestic LPG connections or get cylinder refills from government oil marketing companies or their authorised distributors.
Because of this change, families that currently have both PNG and LPG connections will have to surrender their LPG connections.
The amendment also means that people with PNG connections will not be able to apply for new domestic LPG connections or get LPG cylinder refills in the future.
LPG bookings surge amid panic buying
Meanwhile, despite repeated assurances from the government that enough LPG stock is available to meet household demand, bookings for cylinders have increased sharply, suggesting panic buying. LPG bookings by household consumers rose by nearly 60% on Friday compared with the average daily bookings between April and February of the current financial year. On Thursday, bookings were more than 35% higher than the 11-month average daily level, The Indian Express reported citing a senior official from the Petroleum Ministry.
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The government once again appealed to consumers not to panic and to book cylinders only when needed, as LPG supplies are currently under pressure due to major disruptions in ship movements through the Strait of Hormuz. It also said action against hoarding and black marketing of LPG has been stepped up across the country.
Government prioritising household LPG supply
According to data shared by Petroleum Ministry Joint Secretary Sujata Sharma during a media briefing on Saturday, average LPG bookings by households – which stood at about 55.7 lakh cylinders per day between April and February – increased to 88.8 lakh on Friday. On Thursday, the figure was 75.7 lakh. Sharma said that even though LPG imports are facing challenges, the government is giving priority to household consumers over commercial and industrial users. She added that the government is closely monitoring the supply situation amid the West Asia conflict, which has affected India’s energy imports, with LPG supplies being hit the most.
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“The situation is a matter of concern for all of us, but we are ensuring that household consumers do not face inconvenience. Domestic consumers have been prioritised, and LPG cylinder supply is being ensured for them,” Sharma said Saturday, adding that none of the around 25,000 LPG distributorships across the country have reported a “dry-out” – running out of stock – so far. She also said that public sector oil marketing companies are continuing to maintain their earlier average of more than 50 lakh cylinder deliveries per day.
However, the near halt in maritime traffic through the crucial chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz due to the West Asia conflict has significantly affected India’s LPG imports. India depends on imports for about 60% of its LPG needs, and nearly 90% of these imports come from West Asia through the strait. This means that around 55% of the country’s LPG consumption volumes are currently unavailable.
India seeks safe passage for stranded ships
Meanwhile, India has requested safe passage for 22 of its vessels stranded west of the Strait of Hormuz, a spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs said on Saturday, after Iran allowed a few Indian ships to pass through the route in a rare exception to the blockade.
Randhir Jaiswal, said during a press conference that India has remained in contact with major parties in the Middle East – including Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran, the United States and Israel – to communicate its concerns, especially regarding energy security.
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Iran’s ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, also confirmed that Iran has allowed some Indian vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. He was speaking at a conclave organised by India Today in New Delhi.
Since the United States and Israel launched a bombing campaign on Iran, Tehran has largely halted ship traffic through the strait that runs along its coast. Around 20% of the world’s oil and seaborne liquefied natural gas passes through this route. The blockade has triggered one of India’s worst gas crises in decades, forcing the government to cut supplies to industries in order to protect household cooking gas supplies.
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