- The Strait of Hormuz remains closed, and alternate procurement channels have been increased
- A 3-member committee has been formed to address LPG supply grievances and monitor refills
- Domestic LPG supply has been prioritized, with commercial use cut to support households
The production of cooking gas LPG is up by 10 per cent across oil refineries after the government issued directions yesterday, government sources have told NDTV. All refineries are currently operating at 100 per cent capacity, and the temporary crisis that had started after the Strait of Hormuz was blocked has now been resolved, they said. A three-member committee has also been formed to address any LPG supply related grievances.
The government has reiterated that there is no LPG crisis and adequate energy sources are available. Not a single distributor in India has run dry, sources said.
The refill monitoring window is up from 21 days to 25 days to curb malpractices and the government has also invoked Essential Commodities Act, which helps prevent hoarding and ensure the availability of essential items like food and medicines.
Read: New Rule On LPG Refill Booking To Curb Hoarding Amid Iran War
There has been concern about a fuel crisis after Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz. There is no possibility of supplies resuming through the Strait of Hormuz in near future, sources said. But while earlier, procurement via other channels was 55 per cent, it has now been upped to 70 per cent.
India is in a much better position than many countries on energy supplies, the government has said. "We are continuing purchase from Russia. Last month everyday 1.04 million barrels was bought. It was almost 20 per cent of our supply," sources said.
Sources said officials are in regular touch with multiple countries to ensure uninterrupted energy supply chain. According to government data, the country currently imports oil and energy resources from around 40 nations including Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Iraq, Israel, South Korea, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Panama, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Togo, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States and Venezuela, among others.
Read: India Has Enough Fuel, Refineries Asked To Push Up LPG Production: Sources
Household consumption remains the top priority in LPG distribution, sources said, underscoring that the government has urged people not to believe misinformation circulating on social media. Commercial and Industrial supply has been cut and diverted to domestic supply and public transport.
"We are taking care of our domestic consumers but at the same time those countries which are in dire need of, export is continuing to them. We can't stop export to them but our priority is domestic customers," an official said.
