LPG Cylinder Shortage In India Highlights: A sudden surge in LPG cylinder bookings across India has raised concerns within the government, with officials attributing the spike largely to panic buying by consumers. Authorities, however, have clarified that there is no shortage of LPG and supplies remain stable across the country.
Officials said daily LPG bookings have increased sharply over the past few days. The number of bookings jumped nearly 59%, rising from an average of 55.7 lakh bookings per day to about 88.8 lakh in a single day. The sharp increase has triggered concerns that many households may be stockpiling cylinders unnecessarily.
LPG price for a 14.2 kg cylinder in major cities:
New Delhi – Rs 913.00 per cylinder
Mumbai – Rs 912.50 per cylinder
Kolkata – Rs 939.00 per cylinder
Chennai – Rs 928.50 per cylinder
Hyderabad Rs 965.00 / cylinder
Sudden spike in LPG bookings
According to officials, the surge in bookings is not linked to any disruption in supply. LPG distribution companies continue to deliver cylinders as usual, and the supply chain remains intact.
The government has urged consumers not to panic and avoid booking cylinders unnecessarily. Officials said panic bookings can create delays for households that genuinely need refills and can put unnecessary pressure on the delivery system.
New rule for PNG and LPG users
To ensure fair distribution of cooking fuel, the government has issued a new directive under the Essential Commodities Act. The order states that households that already have piped natural gas (PNG) connections cannot keep domestic LPG cylinders.
Gas supply to priority sectors unchanged
The government also clarified that the supply of natural gas to priority sectors remains unaffected. Authorities have ensured 100% supply of natural gas to domestic PNG and CNG consumers without any cuts. However, gas supply to commercial and industrial users has been regulated at around 80% in order to manage overall demand.
Read More: India’s LPG Shortage: PM Modi States Energy Crisis Impacting Countries Worldwide
