The Crossbill Team
Amid concerns over disruptions in the supply of cooking gas, Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP John Brittas on Thursday (March 12) criticised the Union government’s response to the situation and called for immediate steps to address the emerging crisis.
Raising the issue in the backdrop of tensions in West Asia, Brittas said the supply chain disruption was already affecting households and businesses across the country.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Brittas said the consequences of the conflict were being felt by ordinary citizens. He also questioned earlier assurances by the government that adequate gas supplies were available and expressed concern about Indian expatriates living in the Gulf region.
"The PM's rhetoric in Kerala is far from the reality that the country is facing. The war has reached every kitchen in this country. Restaurants are closing due to a shortage. This is affecting every sector. The assurance of the govt was that there was ample stock. Today, there is an actual crisis because of the negligence of this govt. One crore Indians are in Gulf countries, and we are concerned about their safety and livelihood. War has created hardship for them. We want the government to take proactive measures," he said.
However, Sakina Itoo, a minister in the Jammu and Kashmir Government, said that the situation was stable in the Union Territory and denied reports of a shortage.
"There is no such situation in J&K. We have no such shortage of LPG. When something like this happens, the government is there," she told reporters.
Meanwhile, officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said steps were being taken to increase domestic production of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to manage the supply disruption.
According to a ministry official, daily domestic LPG output has increased by 25% as refineries across the country have started operating at higher capacity to maximise production.
Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing & Oil Refinery), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said the additional output would account for roughly 10% of India’s daily LPG consumption.
She also urged households not to panic and avoid unnecessary booking of cylinders, adding that several refineries were functioning at full or above-full capacity and that India’s crude supply remained secure. India’s LPG supply has been affected by the conflict involving Iran, which has disrupted shipments from the Gulf region.
"We import almost 60 % of our LPG and most of it, almost 90 % comes from the Strait of Hormuz. It's a difficult situation, but the government is making every effort to ensure that the supply to the domestic consumers is ensured...We deliver almost 50 lakh cylinders on a daily basis. On the distribution side, no dry out has been reported. But there is a manifold increase in bookings because of the panic. We urge the citizens to avoid panic booking...State governments have been requested to identify the list of beneficiaries so that the delivery of the cylinder, commercial cylinder, can be made on a priority basis,” she said.
The concerns over supply have emerged soon after the Union government increased the price of domestic cooking gas cylinders by Rs 60 amid the geopolitical developments. Following the hike, the price of a non-subsidised LPG cylinder is Rs 913 in Delhi, Rs 939 in Kolkata, Rs 912 in Mumbai and Rs 928 in Chennai, with variations depending on taxes imposed by state governments.
In addition, the government has introduced a new rule mandating a 25-day gap between two bookings for domestic LPG refills as part of measures to regulate demand and ensure equitable distribution of supplies.
Raising the issue in the backdrop of tensions in West Asia, Brittas said the supply chain disruption was already affecting households and businesses across the country.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Brittas said the consequences of the conflict were being felt by ordinary citizens. He also questioned earlier assurances by the government that adequate gas supplies were available and expressed concern about Indian expatriates living in the Gulf region.
"The PM's rhetoric in Kerala is far from the reality that the country is facing. The war has reached every kitchen in this country. Restaurants are closing due to a shortage. This is affecting every sector. The assurance of the govt was that there was ample stock. Today, there is an actual crisis because of the negligence of this govt. One crore Indians are in Gulf countries, and we are concerned about their safety and livelihood. War has created hardship for them. We want the government to take proactive measures," he said.
However, Sakina Itoo, a minister in the Jammu and Kashmir Government, said that the situation was stable in the Union Territory and denied reports of a shortage.
"There is no such situation in J&K. We have no such shortage of LPG. When something like this happens, the government is there," she told reporters.
Meanwhile, officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said steps were being taken to increase domestic production of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to manage the supply disruption.
According to a ministry official, daily domestic LPG output has increased by 25% as refineries across the country have started operating at higher capacity to maximise production.
Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing & Oil Refinery), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said the additional output would account for roughly 10% of India’s daily LPG consumption.
She also urged households not to panic and avoid unnecessary booking of cylinders, adding that several refineries were functioning at full or above-full capacity and that India’s crude supply remained secure. India’s LPG supply has been affected by the conflict involving Iran, which has disrupted shipments from the Gulf region.
"We import almost 60 % of our LPG and most of it, almost 90 % comes from the Strait of Hormuz. It's a difficult situation, but the government is making every effort to ensure that the supply to the domestic consumers is ensured...We deliver almost 50 lakh cylinders on a daily basis. On the distribution side, no dry out has been reported. But there is a manifold increase in bookings because of the panic. We urge the citizens to avoid panic booking...State governments have been requested to identify the list of beneficiaries so that the delivery of the cylinder, commercial cylinder, can be made on a priority basis,” she said.
The concerns over supply have emerged soon after the Union government increased the price of domestic cooking gas cylinders by Rs 60 amid the geopolitical developments. Following the hike, the price of a non-subsidised LPG cylinder is Rs 913 in Delhi, Rs 939 in Kolkata, Rs 912 in Mumbai and Rs 928 in Chennai, with variations depending on taxes imposed by state governments.
In addition, the government has introduced a new rule mandating a 25-day gap between two bookings for domestic LPG refills as part of measures to regulate demand and ensure equitable distribution of supplies.
Comments (0)
Leave a Comment