There are enough crude oil inventories and refineries operating at full capacity, the government said on Wednesday, addressing concerns around fuel shortages and price hikes.
Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said that there has been no hike in petrol and diesel prices and sufficient stocks are available nationwide. She was addressing an inter-ministerial briefing on Wednesday on recent developments in West Asia.
She said that India’s fuel supply situation was stable. On concerns regarding the shortage of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), Sharma said that the government was prioritising the expansion of domestic PNG connections. It has issued a gazette notification to streamline approval timelines for the same.
She said that over 2.5 lakh PNG (piped natural gas) connections have been added so far, while 2.2 lakh consumers have shifted from LPG to PNG.
Moreover, 22,000 tonnes of commercial LPG has been allocated across the country in recent days, with 30,000 five-kg cylinders distributed on Tuesday. She also highlighted enforcement action, stating that 2,700 raids were conducted, leading to the seizure of 2,000 cylinders.
Her statement comes amid reports that consumers across the country are facing delayed delivery of LPG cylinders and that the allotment of new LPG connections has been stopped in some places.
However, the government has maintained that the supply of oil and gas is stable in the country.
The government has directed LPG consumers to shift to PNG wherever possible. According to the order issued on March 24, LPG supply will stop after three months if a household does not switch to PNG despite availability.
However, there is an exception. If it is technically not possible to provide PNG, households can continue using LPG after obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC).
The fuel crisis emerged after the outbreak of the United States-Israel-Iran war in the Gulf region, which is a major source of energy supplies for the world.
