Energy Minister Hardeep Puri gave a “full” assurance on Thursday that there is “no fuel shortage” in India amid growing concerns due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
“There is no shortage of petrol, diesel, kerosene, ATF or fuel oil. The availability of petrol, diesel, aviation and fuel oil is fully assured,” Puri said in his Lok Sabha speech.
Stressing that what the world is currently going through is something it has never faced in history, Puri said India has to “deal with the consequences” of the ongoing conflict in West Asia, even though it has no role in it.
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The Energy Minister also addressed the virtual closure of the Strait of Hormuz that has disrupted global energy supplies, and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomatic outreach for ensuring that India received volumes of crude oil “exceeding what the crippled Strait could have delivered in the same period.”
Amid ongoing concerns over LPG supplies that have hit many restaurants across the country, Puri said, “India’s crude oil supply and domestic LPG supply are fully protected.”
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“The world has never faced a moment of this kind in history… Although India has no role in the conflict, it must overcome the consequences… India’s supplies of crude oil and domestic LPG are fully protected.”
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Steps taken by India to avoid LPG shortage
Highlighting the steps taken by the Indian government to ensure that fuel shortages do not affect Indian families, Puri said it is a priority of the Modi government that the kitchens of “33 lakh crore Indian families do not face any (fuel) shortage.”
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He said LPG procurement has been actively diversified with India now receiving shipments from the US, Norway, Canada, Algeria and Russia and that India’s LPG production “has increased by 28% through refinery directives”.
“It may be noted that India previously imported nearly 60% of its LPG requirements from Gulf countries such as Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, while 40% is produced domestically. Procurement has now been actively diversified, with shipments being secured from the US, Norway, Canada, Algeria and Russia… Hence, in the last five days, LPG production has increased by 28% through refiners’ guidance, and more procurement is underway,” it said. Lok Sabha.
