New Delhi : The Ministry of Petroleum spokesperson, in a joint press conference on Saturday, said that the government has decided to push for piped natural gas connections amid the nationwide fear of a supply shortage of LPG cylinders. Wherever commercial consumers are facing difficulties or disruptions in their LPG supply, they should be transitioned to PNG connections.
In furtherance of this objective, GAIL (Gas Authority of India Limited) held a meeting with various CGD operators and advised them to expedite the provision of PNG connections to all eligible commercial consumers wherever feasible,” Sharma said during the press conference. Sharma further mentioned that no stockout of LPG cylinders has been reported in the country to date. However, she expressed her concerns about the nationwide LPG supply and the “excessively high” nature of panic booking, ongoing in the country.
India has asked refiners to boost LPG production. Domestic LPG production has risen by 30% since March 5, she said. The government has prioritised LPG supplies for households, followed by hospitals and educational institutions, while allowing commercial users to use alternative fuels such as biomass, coal and fuel oil. India has asked Coal India, opens new tab, the country’s top coal producer, to make coal available to small and medium enterprises and the hospitality sector, including restaurants and hotels, Sharma said.
A senior Petroleum Ministry official said the government is ensuring uninterrupted cooking gas supply to households, and urged consumers living in the vicinity of areas that have piped natural gas (PNG) connectivity to apply for household PNG connections to reduce pressure on LPG supplies. With the war in West Asia affecting India’s LPG imports and oil marketing companies (OMCs) swamped with bookings for cooking gas cylinders, the government Friday appealed to consumers not to panic and book cylinders only when required.
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