No LPG shortage, no dry-out at dealers: Oil Ministry as panic buying pushes demand to 75.7 lakh

The Oil Ministry on 13 March informed that LPG bookings have surged to 75.7 lakh against an average of 55.7 lakh in the pre-war period, showing panic booking. “There is no need for panic booking; no dry out at any LPG dealer,” Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing & Oil Refinery), Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas stated at a media briefing today.

“The supply of PNG (Piped Natural Gas) to domestic consumers and CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) is being ensured without any interruptions or cuts. Given this situation, there is absolutely no need for panic,” she added.

Further, on the status of commercial consumers in major urban cities and centers—many of whom are facing difficulties due to their reliance on LPG supplies, Sharma said the government is “making every effort to address their concerns”.

“We appeal to all such commercial consumers to contact their local CGD (City Gas Distribution) network provider or their designated dealer to obtain a PNG connection,” Sharma added.

“As far as crude oil is concerned, we possess a refining capacity of 258 million metric tons. We are self-sufficient in the production of petrol and diesel; consequently, there is no need to import these fuels into India. All our refineries are currently operating at 100% capacity or higher,” she stated.

Sharma added that refineries hold adequate inventories of crude oil, and supplies are being consistently maintained.

(This is a breaking story, more updates to come…)