More than 39,000 households using piped natural gas (PNG) have voluntarily given up their LPG connections following a government appeal aimed at easing supply pressures triggered by the ongoing West Asia crisis. This development was shared on Monday (April 20) by Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas during an inter-ministerial briefing.
The Centre had urged consumers who have access to both PNG and LPG to surrender their LPG connections, helping ensure adequate supply for households that depend solely on cylinders.
Officials said the response has been encouraging, with thousands of consumers opting out of LPG usage in favour of piped gas.
PNG connections rise sharply
The shift comes along a steady expansion of PNG infrastructure. Since March this year, nearly 4.9 lakh new PNG connections have been installed, while over 5.5 lakh new consumers have been registered.
This growth has helped reduce dependence on LPG cylinders in urban areas where PNG networks are available.
LPG supply under pressure but stable
Authorities acknowledged that LPG supply faced initial disruptions due to the West Asia situation. However, a series of measures have helped stabilise availability.
These include increasing domestic LPG production, extending booking windows in urban and rural areas and introducing delivery authentication codes (DAC) to prevent diversion.
Officials said DAC implementation has now crossed 92%, surpassing earlier targets.
No major shortages reported
Despite concerns, the government said there have been no reports of LPG shortages or “dry-outs” across the country.
While commercial LPG supplies were affected initially, about 70% of supply has now been restored, with daily sales touching around 7,000 tonnes in recent days.
Demand trends show recovery
Auto LPG consumption has also picked up, with daily sales rising to around 350 tonnes, nearly double the levels seen in February. The government has also pushed 5 kg variant cylinders through awareness campaigns. Since early April, around 7,000 camps have been held, leading to the sale of over 1 lakh cylinders.
Fuel supply remains normal
Officials stressed that fuel availability across sectors remains stable. PNG and CNG supplies are being prioritised, ensuring uninterrupted access for households and transport.
Petrol pumps across the country are operating normally, and refineries are running at optimal capacity.