The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Wednesday, March 25, issued a clarification over LPG availability in India and the refill booking timeline.
Flagging false reports claiming revisions to LPG refill booking timelines, the ministry informed that no such changes have been made. The existing refill booking timelines continue to be 25 days in urban areas and 45 days in rural areas, irrespective of connection type.
The government's notice comes after some reports and social media posts claimed the LPG refill booking timelines have been revised to 45 days for PMUY connections, 25 days for non-PMUY single bottle connections, and 35 days for non-PMUY double bottle connections.
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"Citizens are advised not to believe or circulate such misinformation and to avoid unnecessary or panic booking of LPG refills," the Petroleum Ministry said.
Reflecting on LPG availability, the Ministry assured that the country has adequate LPG stocks and there is no cause for concern.
LPG availability has come into focus as India faces pressure on gas supplies amid disruptions in imports due to the Middle East conflict. The tensions in the region have affected shipping routes, reduced the inflow of fuel, and raised concerns about domestic availability.
India depends heavily on imports for its LPG needs, with about 60 per cent of supply coming from overseas. A large share of these imports passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route that has been affected by the ongoing conflict.
On Monday, the ministry noted that reports of oil companies planning to supply only 10 kg LPG in standard household cylinders are “highly speculative”.
Sujata Sharma, joint secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, clarified that the ministry said no such decision has been approved or implemented so far, after reports suggested that state-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) were considering reducing the quantity of LPG in 14.2-kg domestic cylinders to 10 kg.
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