No LPG Shortage, Says Hardeep Puri Amid Middle East War
Minister says domestic production has risen sharply as government moves to curb panic buying and hoarding
- Puri says there is no LPG shortage in India.
- Domestic production has risen to 55,000–56,000 tonnes a day.
- Panic buying pushed daily bookings sharply higher.
- Government measures target hoarding and black marketing.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi 22nd Sept: Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has dismissed concerns over a shortage of cooking gas in India amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, saying domestic LPG production has been significantly increased to meet demand.
Puri said domestic LPG production had risen from around 34,000 tonnes per day to 55,000–56,000 tonnes per day. He said there had been no shortage of LPG across the country and urged consumers not to believe rumours about supply disruptions.
Puri said the disruption around the Strait of Hormuz was expected to have an impact on energy supplies, but the government responded by increasing domestic production and diversifying procurement. Earlier, the government had said India was securing LPG cargoes from countries including the US, Norway, Canada, Algeria and Russia to offset disruptions in traditional supply routes.
Panic buying drives surge in bookings
According to Puri, the government introduced temporary measures after a sharp increase in LPG bookings triggered by concerns over a possible shortage.
He said daily LPG cylinder usage, which averaged around 52 lakh cylinders, had surged to nearly 90 lakh in a single day as consumers began panic buying and stocking up.
Puri warned that excessive purchases by households could create an artificial supply pressure even when overall availability remained adequate.
The minister said the government therefore rationalised distribution to prevent hoarding and black marketing. The Centre had earlier introduced booking-gap measures and enforcement mechanisms to manage demand during the supply disruption.
Digital booking remains available
Puri said consumers do not need to queue physically to book cylinders and can use digital platforms for delivery.
He said LPG distribution remained operational across the country and urged consumers to avoid panic buying driven by unverified information.
The minister also pointed to the government’s efforts to increase domestic production and diversify imports following disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz. In August, Puri said the US had become India’s largest LPG supplier, accounting for about 67% of imports, while domestic production had also been increased.
