Amid reports of an LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) shortage, government sources on Tuesday said sufficient stock is available and production has been increased by 10 per cent. Sources also said that India is sourcing supplies from approximately 40 countries and has increased the share of gas imports from outside the Strait of Hormuz to 70 per cent, up from 55 per cent earlier. They also stated that all refineries in the country are operating at 100 per cent capacity and there is no need for a price increase at this time.
“The gas shortage is being managed by diverting gas from the industry. The booking period, which earlier took place after twenty-one days, has now been extended to twenty-five days,” sources said.
They added that stock used to reach distributors in about 2.5 days, and it continues to take the same amount of time now. All refineries are operating at full capacity, and around 60 lakh cylinders are supplied across the country every day.
Price hike not because of shortage
The sources also clarified that the price increase of 60 rupees is not due to the current situation but is linked to last year’s under-recovery.
Domestic cooking gas LPG price was hiked on Saturday by a steep Rs 60 per cylinder, the second rate increase in less than a year, as the spike in global energy prices following the West Asia crisis weighed on the world’s third-largest energy consumer.
Non-subsidised LPG – the one that common households use in kitchens – will now cost Rs 913 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi as against Rs 853 previously, according to the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) website.
Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries – the over 10 crore poor who have got free LPG connections since 2016 – will also have to bear the same amount of price increase. They will now pay Rs 613 per 14.2 kg cylinder after accounting for a subsidy of Rs 300 per bottle they get for up to 12 refills in a year.
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