India has adequate fuel supplies as domestic LPG production up 30 pc: Govt
New Delhi, March 13
The government on Friday said that domestic production of cooking gas has increased by 30 per cent and assured that the country has enough fuel supplies to meet demand despite the ongoing tensions in West Asia.
Speaking at an inter-ministerial briefing, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing & Oil Refinery) in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said India's refineries are currently producing 30 per cent more LPG compared to March 5.
"The government is making continuous efforts to ensure that households and essential institutions receive uninterrupted supplies of cooking gas," she said.
"LPG supplies are being prioritised for households, hospitals and educational institutions," Sharma added.
She said commercial cylinders have also been made available to state governments so that they can distribute them according to priority wherever needed.
The government also assured that the country has sufficient refining capacity and fuel inventories.
India currently has a crude oil refining capacity of 258 million metric tonnes, and domestic refineries are operating at full capacity.
"This has made the country self-sufficient in the production of petrol and diesel, reducing the need for imports of these fuels," Sharma stated.
She said there is no shortage of petrol or diesel across the country and that none of the nearly 100,000 fuel retail outlets have reported a dry situation.
"Petrol pumps are functioning normally and have adequate fuel stocks," she mentioned.
Refineries also maintain sufficient crude oil inventories, and supplies are being regularly replenished to ensure smooth operations, she added.
The government further said that the supply of piped natural gas and compressed natural gas remains stable.
Sharma noted that the supply of PNG to households and CNG for vehicles is continuing without any disruption.
Currently, around 15 million households in India are connected to PNG networks, while another 6 million homes located near existing gas pipelines can easily obtain PNG connections.
Sharma encouraged such consumers to switch to PNG, saying it would also help reduce pressure on LPG demand.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Hope this translates to stable prices at the pump and for LPG cylinders. My mother in the village was worried about another price hike. Prioritising households and hospitals is the right step.
As someone working in the energy sector here in India, the 30% increase in LPG production is impressive. It shows good contingency planning. The push for PNG connections is also a smart long-term move to diversify energy sources.
The assurance is welcome, but I hope the distribution on the ground is as smooth as they say. Sometimes in my area, there are delays in cylinder delivery despite claims of no shortage. Action on the ground matters more than statements.
Good news! Reducing dependency on imports for fuel is crucial for our energy security. More focus on renewable energy alongside this would be perfect. Chalo, at least no need to panic about cooking gas.
15 million households on PNG is a good number. They should run more awareness campaigns about the benefits and subsidy links for switching to PNG, especially in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. It's more convenient once set up.
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