“No drying up”: Center confirms uninterrupted LPG supplies, moves to ease demand with alternative fuels – The

On Saturday, the government allayed concerns about fuel availability across the country, stressing that it had taken measures to ensure uninterrupted supplies and intensified emergency arrangements in key sectors.

This comes as the world’s energy pipelines continue to be disrupted due to the Middle East war that began on February 28.The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said in a statement that supply chains for basic fuels are still operating at full capacity. “Despite the ongoing geopolitical situation, the government has ensured 100% supply of domestic LPG, domestic PNG and CNG (transportation),” she said.

The ministry also urged citizens not to respond to rumors or engage in panic buying. “We advise citizens to avoid buying petrol, diesel and LPG out of panic, as the government is making all efforts to ensure their availability,” she said, adding that people should “beware of rumors and rely on official sources for correct information.”Regarding domestic LPG distribution, the government said that household supplies were given top priority.

“Priority has been given to LPG supplies to households,” the ministry said, also noting that “no droughts have been reported at LPG distributors.”To balance demand, authorities have taken measures such as extending LPG reservation periods and encouraging the use of alternative fuels. “Alternative fuels such as kerosene and coal have been provided to ease pressure on demand for LPG,” the ministry said.The government said that refinery operations are continuing at full capacity with sufficient reserves. She added, “All refineries are operating at high capacity with sufficient crude stocks, while sufficient stocks of gasoline and diesel are maintained.”In response to the rise in global crude oil prices caused by the situation in West Asia, the government has also taken fiscal steps. The ministry said, “The Middle East crisis led to an abnormal increase in crude oil prices, but in order to protect consumers, the Indian government reduced customs duties on gasoline and diesel by 10 rupees per liter.”Changes have also been made to export duties. The government “reduced export tax on diesel from Rs 55.50 per liter to Rs 23 per liter and on ATF from Rs 42 per liter to Rs 33 per litre,” the statement said.While acknowledging that geopolitical tensions are impacting LPG supplies, the ministry said steps have been taken to minimize disruption and maintain distribution stability.The government also highlighted its pursuit of clean energy.

Since March 2026, it said that “about 5.96 lakh connections have been converted to PNG gas… bringing the total to 8.64 lakh connections”, adding that “about 6.66 lakh customers have been registered for new connections.”Separately, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said maritime operations remained stable. She added: “All Indian sailors in the area are safe, and no incident involving vessels flying the Indian flag has been reported in the past 24 hours.”She also emphasized ongoing evacuation efforts, noting that the “safe repatriation of over 2,922 Indian seafarers” has been implemented so far.The government reiterated its assurances about fuel availability, saying that stocks remain sufficient across the country and urged the public to remain calm, noting that “there are sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel available at all petrol pumps in the country.”