New Delhi, 02 May (H.S.): The central government said on Saturday that there have been no reports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders running out at distribution points despite the ongoing crisis in West Asia. It asserted that 100 per cent supply of LPG cylinders to domestic households is being ensured. The Ministry of External Affairs is continuously monitoring developments in the Gulf and West Asia region.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, in a statement issued today, said that online bookings for domestic cooking gas (LPG) cylinders reached 99 per cent yesterday, while OTP‑based deliveries exceeded 94 per cent. The ministry added that around 5.96 lakh piped natural gas (PNG) connections have been given from March 2026 till now, while infrastructure for an additional 2.68 lakh connections has been prepared; about 6.66 lakh customers have also registered for new connections.

The ministry further stated that refineries in Mumbai, Kochi, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Mathura and Gujarat have sold over 10,000 metric tonnes of propylene and more than 1,200 metric tonnes of butyl acrylate to the chemical, pharmaceutical and paint industries since April 9, 2026. It also noted that over 2,922 Indian seafarers have so far been safely repatriated to India, including 30 who reached home safely in the last 24 hours from various locations in the Gulf region.

Keeping in view the evolving situation in West Asia, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas explained the measures being taken to ensure uninterrupted availability of petroleum products and LPG, and advised citizens to avoid panic buying of petrol, diesel and LPG, as the government is leaving no effort to secure their availability.

The ministry urged the public to remain cautious of rumours and to rely only on official sources for information. LPG consumers have been requested to use digital booking platforms and to avoid visiting distributors in person. Citizens are also being encouraged to adopt alternative fuels such as PNG and to consider using electric or induction cooktops.

The petroleum ministry said that, despite the prevailing geopolitical situation, it has been ensured that 100 per cent supply of domestic LPG, domestic piped natural gas (PNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) for transport is being maintained. Priority has been accorded to commercial LPG for hospitals and educational institutions, along with key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, steel, automobile, seed, agriculture and others.

The ministry informed that the supply of 5‑kg FTL (Free Trade LPG) cylinders to migrant workers has been doubled as compared with the average daily supply, on March 2 and 3, 2026. The government has already put in place several calibrated measures on both the supply and demand sides, including increasing refinery production capacity, raising the booking interval for domestic cylinders in urban areas from 21 to 25 days and up to 45 days in rural areas, and assigning priority to specific regions for supply. It, therefore, appealed to all citizens to put in necessary efforts to conserve energy in their daily usage during the current situation.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar