- The Centre will not resume new LPG connections until supply improves, says official
- No timeline is visible for restarting fresh LPG connection rollouts amid supply issues
- Priority remains on serving existing LPG consumers amid ongoing supply constraints
The Centre is not likely to resume fresh Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) connections soon, as a top Ministry of Petroleum And Natural Gas official told NDTV on Monday that new connections will resume only after supplies improve.
The official stated that there was no visibility yet on when rollout will restart. They further said that there are no plans to restore new connections amid supply woes lingering on. The priority for the government will continue to be existing LPG consumers, as per the official.
The government halted fresh connections in early March 2026 amid the West Asia crisis. As tensions once again escalated between the USA and Iran, fresh LPG connections have remained suspended since March. The push for PNG (Piped Natural Gas) has gathered pace amid these supply constraints.
The development comes after the prices for 19-kilogram commericial LPG cylinder prices were hiked by Rs 9.50 on Sept. 1. The government also fixed the maximum cooking gas LPG production targets for individual public- and private-sector refineries and upstream companies.
The government seeks to build a domestic supply buffer after the West Asia conflict exposed the country's vulnerability to disruptions in imported cooking gas.
ALSO READ: LPG Price Hike Alert: 19-Kg Commercial Cylinder Prices Increase By Rs 9.50
Additionally, Mahanagar Gas Ltd. had hiked CNG and domestic PNG prices in Mumbai in the backdrop of escalation in the West Asia conflict.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry, in an order issued on Aug. 13, had specified maximum LPG production levels for 21 refineries and upstream companies, with combined production potential set at 63,810 tonnes a day -- more than double the domestic LPG output in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026 and about 70% of the country's daily consumption.
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