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India's cooking gas LPG consumption fell by a steep 13 per cent in March as supply disruptions linked to the West Asia conflict hit availability for both household kitchens and commercial users, according to latest official data. LPG consumption was at 2.379 million tonne in March, 12.8 per cent lower than 2.729 million tonne consumed in the same period last year. India imports about 60 per cent of its LPG requirements, much of it via the Strait of Hormuz, which was effectively shut following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliation. With supplies from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates disrupted, the government has cut LPG supplies to commercial establishments like hotels, and industries to safeguard household cooking gas availability. According to the Oil Ministry's Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC), LPG cylinder sold to domestic households fell 8.1 per cent in March to 2.219 million tonne while those sold to non-domestic users was down almost 48 pe
From police stations to fast-food outlets, Indraprastha Gas Ltd is expanding its push for piped natural gas connections in Delhi-NCR as it looks to rapidly expand its user base to ease pressure on cooking gas LPG, its chief executive Kamal Kishore Chatiwal said. Following disruptions to energy supplies from the West Asia conflict, the government is pushing wider adoption of piped natural gas (PNG) as a convenient alternative to LPG, given its more diversified sourcing and lower dependence on the Gulf region. "We were (before the West Asia crisis) providing 600-700 PNG connections per day, which have scaled up to 2,100-2,200 a day now. The ultimate target is to take them to 5,000 connections," IGL Managing Director Chatiwal said. Besides laying pipelines to household kitchens to provide them with a convenient cooking gas alternative, IGL is targeting fast-food chains that had faced the brunt of LPG supply disruptions after the government prioritised the limited available cooking gas
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority on Thursday said it received an India-flagged vessel carrying 15,400 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) that successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz amid the West Asia conflict. JNPA described the development as notable in the backdrop of the war involving Iran, the United States and Israel. "Today, JNPA proudly welcomed Green Asha-an India-flagged LPG vessel that has successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz, and has moored at JNPA's liquid berth operated by BPCL-IOCL," it said in a release. This is a significant milestone as it is the first such vessel to reach JNPA since the onset of the war, it said, adding that the vessel brought in 15,400 tonnes of LPG. "The vessel, its cargo, and every member of the crew are all safe and secure. This arrival highlights the ability of maritime operations to function amid complex geopolitical conditions while ensuring the steady supply of essential LPG to the nation," it said. The facility, also known as
The Odisha government has made e-KYC mandatory for domestic consumers to avail LPG cylinders from distributors, Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Minister K C Patra said on Sunday. The move will ensure that only genuine customers get LPG cylinders, he asserted. "We have issued instructions to LPG distributors to provide cylinders to consumers who have completed their e-KYC (know your customer)," Patra said. "We have also stopped the illegal sale of 1 kg or 5 kg cooking gas cylinders in the open market," he said. The minister said the Odisha government has taken strong action against those indulging in black marketing of gas cylinders. Authorities have seized 27 LPG cylinders in Dhenkanal district on Sunday, officials said. "Getting information about illegal sale of LPG cylinders, we raided the agency and seized 27 cylinders. Appropriate legal action will be taken," said Bibudha Garanaik, Sub-Collector of Dhenkanal.
The Delhi government has tightened norms for the supply of commercial LPG cylinders, making it mandatory for businesses to either have or apply for a piped natural gas (PNG) connection in areas where the network is available, according to an official order. In an order issued by the Food, Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department on April 2, the government amended a key clause of its recently notified policy on distribution of commercial LPG cylinders. Under the revised rules, commercial and industrial consumers will be eligible to receive LPG supplies only if they are registered with the concerned oil marketing company (OMC) and have applied for a PNG connection, wherever the network exists. According to the order, in areas where PNG infrastructure is not yet in place, consumers will be required to submit an application expressing their intent to switch to PNG once it becomes available. Officials said OMCs will be required to verify documents at least once to ensure compliance with
The government on Friday held discussions on measures to encourage companies to ramp up production of induction heaters and compatible utensils amid rising demand for these products due to concerns over LPG availability following the West Asia crisis, an official said. The crisis has disrupted the movement of ships carrying oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns over cooking gas supplies and prompting people to rush to buy induction heaters and compatible utensils. The meeting, chaired by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, was attended by senior officials, including Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal, Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Lav Agarwal, and Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia. "We discussed how we can speed up and increase the production of induction heaters and vessels that go on those heaters (utensils like an induction cooker, etc.)," the official said. The demand for these go
The government has directed oil refineries to divert a portion of the feedstock normally used for producing cooking gas (LPG) to industries affected by the ongoing petrochemical shortage, which spans sectors from packaging to condom manufacturing. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, on April 1, directed refineries to allocate a portion of propylene to the petrochemical industry, which has been severely affected, as most feedstock has been diverted for cooking gas (LPG) production. At an inter-ministerial briefing on the fallout of developments in West Asia, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said following the disruption in India's LPG supplies from the Middle East due to the war, the government had asked refiners to maximise LPG production so as to meet cooking gas requirements. This maximisation of LPG production was done by diverting streams that were previously used for making petrochemicals. "But then there are certain other ...