Amid fears of fuel scarcity, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry delivered a strong message: 5 million LPG cylinders reach consumers every day. On Thursday, it implored the public to resist panic bookings, emphasizing relentless supply chain efforts.
India’s oil security rests on broad import bases spanning 40+ countries, sidestepping 70 percent through non-Hormuz routes despite tensions. As the globe’s fourth-biggest refining hub with 22 plants and 5.5 million barrels daily demand, overclocked operations ensure product plenty.
Retail networks of 1 lakh+ outlets overflow with reserves. Natural gas disruptions trigger agile responses via new vendors and paths, reinforced by an Essential Commodities Act order for supply primacy. LPG ramp-up hits 28 percent in five days, funneling C3/C4 outputs—propane to butadiene—to domestic cylinders through OMCs.
25,000 distributors operate seamlessly with no outage alerts, yet booking surges from jitters underscore cooperation calls. Save fuel, authorities plead. Hospitals and schools lead non-household priorities; a specialist committee from top OMCs fine-tunes commercial shares with stakeholders, rolling out 20 percent state-linked allotments today against hoarding.
Channel decongests via kerosene PDS, industrial fuel oil, and green light for one-month biomass/coal/kerosene in eateries per environment advisory. Coal Ministry accelerates deliveries to local agents for broad reach.
This multi-pronged approach—from refinery boosts to substitute fuels—anchors supply equilibrium, turning potential crisis into managed continuity for millions.