The government on Wednesday said it is making “every possible effort” to ensure uninterrupted supply of LPG, crude oil and natural gas amid the ongoing West Asia crisis, while cautioning against panic buying at fuel outlets.
Addressing a briefing, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said imports have been impacted due to the geopolitical situation, but domestic supply remains stable.
“Our imports are affected due to the West Asia crisis… but the government is trying to ensure 100 per cent supply to domestic LPG consumers,” she said, adding that around 70 per cent of commercial LPG demand is currently being met.
Sharma stressed that cooking gas distribution remains normal, with no “dry-out” reported at LPG distributors. Nearly 87.28 lakh cylinders were delivered over the past two days against bookings of about 88.82 lakh, with around 95 per cent deliveries completed through the authentication system.
On fuel availability, she said retail outlets are functioning normally, though some instances of panic buying have been observed. Authorities, including public sector oil marketing companies, are working to maintain adequate supply.
Commercial fuel distribution also remains steady, with around 15,900 tonnes of commercial LPG and 876 tonnes of auto LPG sold in the past two days. Over 1.2 lakh 5-kg cylinders were also sold to improve accessibility.
Sharma added that crude refineries across the country are operating without disruption and inventories are sufficient to meet demand. She noted that maintenance shutdowns at refineries, including those operated by Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy, are routine and staggered to avoid supply disruptions
The ministry also said enforcement measures have been stepped up, with around 2,100 raids conducted, over 3,000 show-cause notices issued, and penalties imposed on distributors to curb irregularities.
The government reiterated that while global tensions may affect imports, there is no immediate concern over domestic fuel availability.
