- The LPG booking gap has been extended to 45 days in rural and 25 days in urban areas
- Domestic LPG delivery time remains unchanged at 2.5 days despite demand management measures
- Hospitals and educational institutions receive uninterrupted LPG supply amid the crisis
The LPG booking gap for both rural and urban regions has been extended as part of India's efforts to grapple with concerns over a gas supply crunch, caused by the on-going Iran war.
In rural areas, the minimum gap for booking has been increased to 45 days from the current 25 days, while in urban areas the duration has been widened to 25 days from the current 21 days.
"A 25-day minimum booking gap has been introduced as a demand management measure in urban areas and 45 days in rural and durgam kshetra areas," Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Puri said while addressing the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Puri's announcement came amid one of the worst global energy disruptions triggered by attacks on the Strait of Hormuz, a key transit route for oil trading vessels from across the globe.
However, the standard time from booking to delivery for domestic LPG cylinders remains 2.5 days, unchanged from pre-crisis norms, the minister added.
"Hospitals and educational institutions have been placed on uninterrupted priority supply; their access to LPG is fully assured regardless of broader demand conditions," Puri emphasised.
Panic Booking Reflects Not Supply Failure, But Demand Distortion: Puri
The petroleum minister highlighted that field reports indicate hoarding and panic-booking at the distributor and retail level, "driven by consumer anxiety rather than any actual supply shortage."
He clarified to the lower house of the Parliament that the rush-booking pressure in some localities "reflects a demand distortion, not a production or supply failure."
Further, Puri informed that the delivery authentication code coverage is being expanded from 50% to 90% of consumers.
"Under this system, a cylinder can only be logged as delivered when the consumer confirms receipt through a one-time code on their registered mobile, making undocumented diversion effectively impossible to conceal," Puri explained.
What About Commercial LPG Cylinders?
The supply of commercial cylinders will begin from today, Puri informed in his address.
"In a major decision, 20% of the average monthly Commercial LPG requirement will be allocated from today by OMCs, in coordination with the State Governments so that there is no hoarding or black marketing," the minister said.
ALSO READ: 'Commercial Cylinder Supply Will Commence From Today': Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri
He added that alternate fuel options are being activated to ease pressure on LPG and gas channels. Kerosene is being made available through retail outlets and PDS channels, and fuel oil is being made available for industrial and commercial consumers.
The minister highlighted that while the domestic supply is fully protected and LPG production has been increased by 28% in the last five days.
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