The Centre on Thursday reassured citizens about the country's fuel situation amid the evolving crisis in the Middle East. In an inter-ministerial briefing, officials stated that LPG deliveries across the nation remain stable, with Delivery Authentication Code (DAC)-based deliveries rising to nearly 96 per cent to curb diversion and black marketing.
LPG and Fuel Supply Status
Officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas reported that online LPG bookings have reached nearly 99 per cent on an industry basis, with no dry-outs reported at distributorships. Over the last three days, approximately 1.34 crore LPG cylinders were delivered against bookings of nearly 1.32 crore cylinders. The government urged citizens to avoid panic buying, emphasizing that adequate stocks of petrol, diesel, and LPG are available across the country.
Push for PNG and Fuel Conservation
The government highlighted that over 58,500 consumers have surrendered LPG connections through the MYPNGD.in portal till May 20, while around 7.64 lakh PNG connections have been gasified since March 2026. Infrastructure for an additional 2.81 lakh PNG connections has also been created. Twenty-two states and Union Territories are receiving additional commercial LPG allocations linked to PNG expansion reforms. City gas distribution entities have been directed to prioritize PNG connections for hotels, restaurants, and other commercial establishments. Citizens were urged to avoid panic buying, rely only on official information, and conserve energy wherever possible. Consumers were also encouraged to use alternative fuels such as PNG and electric or induction cooktops.
Raids, Inspections, and Refinery Operations
The government conducted more than 5,000 raids across the country over the last three days against hoarding and black marketing. Public sector oil marketing companies carried out surprise inspections at over 3,100 petrol pumps and LPG distributorships. Penalties have been imposed on 463 LPG distributorships, while 81 distributorships have been suspended so far. Officials confirmed that all refineries are operating at high capacity with adequate crude inventories, and sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel are being maintained across the country. The Centre also announced a reduction in excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 per litre to shield consumers from the impact of rising crude prices amid the Middle East crisis.
Maritime Operations Remain Normal
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways stated that all Indian seafarers in the Gulf region are safe, and no incident involving Indian vessels has been reported in the last 72 hours. Officials reported that more than 3,316 Indian seafarers have been repatriated from the Gulf region so far, including 99 in the last 72 hours. Port operations across the country continue normally with no congestion reported.
