The Centre on Friday urged citizens not to resort to panic buying of petrol, diesel or Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), saying adequate stocks of fuel are available even as tensions in West Asia and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz raise concerns over global energy supplies.
At the third inter-ministerial media briefing on the situation, officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said India’s refineries are operating at high capacity utilisation, with some running above 100 percent, while maintaining adequate crude inventories through diversified import sources and shipping routes.
India has a refining capacity of about 258 MMTPA and is the fourth-largest refining hub in the world, officials said, adding that the country is self-sufficient in the production of petrol and diesel.
Officials said domestic LPG production from refineries has been increased by more than 30 percent compared to levels before the current situation, while oil marketing companies continue to deliver around 50 lakh LPG cylinders every day.
However, LPG bookings have surged due to panic buying, with daily bookings rising from about 55.7 lakh to 76 lakh, officials said, urging consumers to avoid unnecessary bookings.
To ease pressure on LPG supplies, the government has advised households with access to piped natural gas to switch to PNG for cooking. Over 1.5 crore households are currently served through PNG connections.
The government has also implemented a Natural Gas Control Order to prioritise supplies to households and transport sectors. Under the order, piped natural gas supplied to homes and compressed natural gas used by vehicles are receiving full supply, while gas supply to industrial and commercial consumers has been regulated at 80 percent.
Officials said there have been no reports of fuel dry-outs at any of the country’s one lakh retail fuel outlets or at the 25,000 LPG distributorships.
Authorities are also taking enforcement action against hoarding and black marketing of LPG cylinders, with seizures reported in several states.
Officials said port operations across India remain stable and priority berthing is being provided to LPG vessels to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies.
The government said it continues to monitor developments in West Asia and remains engaged with countries in the region while ensuring the safety of Indian nationals and the continued transit of energy and goods.
