‘Situation still worrisome’: Govt says there is improvement in online booking of LPG cylinders

The LPG shortage is worrisome but there is an improvement in online booking, said Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing & Oil Refinery), Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas. “The situation is still worrisome when it comes to the supply of LPG,” she said during a briefing. 

Sharma stated that 93 per cent of the LPG bookings are now done online. “But it is also true that there are long queues at distributors,” she said, urging customers to wait after they book the cylinder. She assured the customers that the LPG cylinders will be delivered to their homes, and they won’t have to visit LPG distributors. 

She further stated that there are no dryouts at retail outlets, and that LPG production has been increased by 40 per cent. There are adequate stocks of petrol and diesel at retail pumps.

Sharma urged consumers to switch to PNG from LPG. She said that all state governments have been asked to set up take action against black marketing.

The government has asked all states and union territories additional 10 per cent allocation of commercial LPG, provided they help in long term transition from LPG to PNG. Out of that 1 per cent additional allocation will be for formation of State and District level committees for approval of CGD applications and resolving grievances, 2 per cent for issuing orders to granting deemed CGD permissions, 3 per cent for introducing "dig and restore scheme" for CGD entities, and 4 per cent for reducing the annual rental/lease charges.