Gas Crisis Management: Government’s Efforts to Maintain Supply Amid West Asia Turmoil

In response to the ongoing West Asia crisis, over 39,000 consumers have surrendered their LPG connections following a government appeal, according to a senior official. The move aims to ease supply pressures, as detailed in a recent update by Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary of Marketing & Oil Refinery at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Since March, the government has successfully installed approximately 493,000 new PNG connections, registering around 551,000 new consumers. Sharma emphasized that despite supply disruptions, the government has increased domestic LPG production and extended booking periods to maintain normal supply levels. New measures like delivery authentication codes have further bolstered distribution integrity.

Commercial LPG supply recovery has seen significant improvements, with daily sales currently averaging 7,000 tonnes. Auto LPG consumption has also surged, with over 350 tonnes distributed daily last week. To enhance access, 7,000 awareness camps have dispensed over 1 lakh small cylinders. Meanwhile, prioritization efforts ensure uninterrupted natural gas supply for transport sectors.