New Delhi, 14 April (H.S.): Amid the ongoing crisis in West Asia and the prevailing geopolitical situation, the Central Government has ensured 100% supply of domestic cooking gas (LPG), domestic PNG (piped natural gas), and CNG (for transport) across the country.

The government has accorded priority to the supply of commercial LPG to hospitals and educational institutions. At the same time, the supply of 5‑kilogram FTL LPG cylinders to migrant workers has been doubled.

According to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, more than 14.3 lakh 5‑kilogram FTL cylinders have been sold since 23 March. From March till now, gas has been supplied to around 4.40 lakh PNG connections, while 4.88 lakh additional customers have registered for new connections. Operations at ports across the country are continuing normally, with no reports of crowding or congestion.

The External Affairs Minister has held discussions with his counterparts from Kuwait, Israel, Singapore, and Australia on the situation in West Asia.

The Petroleum Ministry said that several measures have already been implemented to balance supply and demand, including increasing production at refineries, extending the booking interval for LPG in urban areas from 21 to 25 days and in rural areas up to 45 days, and prioritising the allocation of gas to specific regions. To reduce pressure on LPG demand, alternative fuels such as kerosene and coal have been made available.

The Ministry added that, in addition, the Coal Ministry has directed Coal India and Singareni Collieries to supply additional coal to states for distribution to small and medium‑scale consumers. States have been advised to facilitate new PNG connections for domestic and commercial users. The Ministry said that enforcement actions to curb hoarding and black‑marketing of LPG are ongoing nationwide. On 13 April alone, more than 2,950 raids were conducted across the country.

The Petroleum Ministry stated that Indian missions and embassies continue to provide 24‑hour helplines and active assistance to Indian citizens overseas. Citizens have been advised to avoid panic‑buying or rushing to purchase petrol, diesel, and LPG, because the government is making every possible effort to ensure their availability.

The Ministry has requested LPG consumers to use digital booking platforms and avoid going to distributors personally. It has encouraged citizens to adopt alternative fuels such as PNG and to use electric or induction cooktops. In the prevailing situation, all citizens have been urged to conserve energy during their daily usage.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar