Amid reports of LPG shortage and long queues at some petrol pumps, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas categorically said that India has 74 days of total reserve capacity, and actual stock cover is around 60 days right now. According to the government, India is completely secure for the next few months, even as we are on the 27th day of the Middle East crisis. "Nearly two months of steady supply is available for every Indian citizen, regardless of what happens globally. The next 2 months of crude procurement have also been secured," the ministry said.
LPG Production Up
According to the ministry, the domestic refinery production has been ramped up by 40 per cent, bringing daily LPG output to 50 TMT against a total daily requirement of around 80 TMT.
The net daily import requirement has consequently come down to only 30 TMT - meaning India is now producing much more than it needs to import. Over and above domestic production, 800 TMT of assured inbound LPG cargoes are already secured and en route from the United States, Russia, Australia, and other countries, arriving across India's 22 LPG import terminals - double the 11 terminals that existed in 2014.
Fall In Demand For Cylinders
According to the government, demand for cylinders has fallen after reaching a peak of up to 89 lakh cylinders due to panic ordering by consumers. Oil companies are successfully delivering over 50 lakh cylinders every day, and commercial cylinder allocations have been raised to 50% in consultation with state governments to avoid hoarding or black marketing.
The government also clarified that the claim that PNG is being pushed because LPG is running out is misinformation. It said that PNG is simply a better, more affordable and highly convenient fuel for India's households. The government also urged citizens to rely only on official government communications for information regarding fuel and gas availability.
