News Edition/New Delhi: The central government on Sunday updated about the status of country’s energy supplies, adding that citizens are advised to avoid panic purchase of petrol, diesel and liquid petroleum gas (LPG) as it is making all efforts to ensure availability of petrol, diesel and LPG.
The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas in an official release stated that Government of India is ensuring preparedness and continuity of energy sources across key sectors through coordinated response measures.
However, the Ministry further added that citizens are requested to make necessary efforts to conserve energy in their daily use during the current situation which could be an indication of a difficult situation that has arisen because of the Middle East Crisis.
LPG supply under pressure, but stable for households
The Ministry further acknowledged that LPG supply chains have been impacted by the US-Iran war. The govt. emphasised that the domestic consumers are its top priority, with no reported ‘dry-outs’ at distributor levels.
According to the data provided by the Ministry, around 47 lakh LPG cylinders were delivered against bookings of 47.4 lakh on May 2 alone.
The data indicates that the digital adoption has also surged, with 99 per cent of bookings now made online and about 94 per cent of deliveries authenticated through Delivery Authentication Codes (DAC) to curb diversion.
The govt said that it has expanded distribution of 5 kg Free Trade LPG (FTL) cylinders to help migrant workers. Since April, over 23.44 lakh such cylinders have been sold, the release added.
Despite the claims by the govt., people are still struggling to arrange LPG gas cylinders, especially in the metro and Tier-I areas. Many industrial centres have also seen a huge migration of workers.
Commercial LPG prioritised for critical sectors
The government further updated that the commercial LPG supply has been scaled to about 70 per cent of pre-crisis levels, with priority allocation to hospitals, educational institutions and key industries such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture and manufacturing.
Since April, over 2.14 lakh metric tonnes of commercial LPG—equivalent to more than 112 lakh 19-kg cylinders—have been distributed. Additionally, over 11,000 metric tonnes of Auto LPG has been supplied, reflecting steady demand in the transport segment, the release added.
PNG and gas push to reduce LPG dependence
As part of a longer-term strategy, the government is accelerating the shift towards piped natural gas (PNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG). Supplies to domestic PNG users and transport CNG have been maintained at 100 per cent, while industrial gas allocations have been increased up to 80 per cent.
In a major push, over 6.04 lakh new PNG connections have been activated since March, with infrastructure ready for an additional 2.68 lakh connections. More than 43,000 consumers have voluntarily surrendered LPG connections in favour of PNG.
The government has also introduced policy reforms, including a new pipeline expansion framework and faster approvals, to scale up city gas distribution networks across states.
Crude supplies adequate; refineries running at high capacity
Officials said India’s refineries are operating at high capacity, backed by sufficient crude oil inventories. Domestic LPG production has also been ramped up to support household consumption.
To shield consumers from rising global crude prices, the government has reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹10 per litre. Export levies on diesel and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) have also been lowered.
Authorities reiterated that retail fuel prices remain unchanged and petrol pumps across the country have adequate stocks, even as isolated instances of panic buying were reported.
Enforcement tightened to curb hoarding
The government has intensified enforcement actions against black marketing and hoarding. Over 1,900 raids were conducted nationwide in the past 24 hours, while penalties were imposed on 349 LPG distributors and 74 distributorships suspended.
States have been empowered under existing laws to monitor supply and take strict action, with control rooms and district-level committees activated for real-time oversight.
Shipping and maritime operations remain secure
India’s maritime operations continue without disruption. Notably, the LPG carrier MT Sarv Shakti, carrying over 46,000 metric tonnes of Indian LPG cargo, has safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz and is expected to reach Visakhapatnam on May 13.
Authorities confirmed that all Indian seafarers in the region are safe, with no incidents reported in the past 24 hours. Over 2,950 seafarers have been repatriated so far.
Flight operations improving across Gulf region
The aviation situation is also stabilising. The UAE has resumed normal airspace operations, with Indian and UAE carriers operating regular flights. Air connectivity from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain remains functional, while Qatar and Iran have partial operations.
The government has advised Indian nationals to avoid travel to high-risk areas such as Iran, while facilitating evacuation through land routes where required.
_Ends.
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