State-run Indian Oil Corporation on Wednesday said there is no shortage of LPG cylinders in the Northeast and that production and supply of the cooking fuel will continue uninterrupted despite the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
A senior official of the company said IOC, which supplies nearly 85 per cent of the LPG cylinders consumed across the region, currently has adequate stocks to meet demand.
The official said all nine LPG bottling plants operated by the company in the Northeast are functioning at maximum capacity and distributing cylinders according to government directives.
“As of now, there is no gap between demand and supply for the LPG cylinders. All cylinders are being supplied as per the restrictions of the central government,” the official said.
According to IOC, the raw material required for producing LPG cylinders in the region is sourced from four refineries located in Assam, which receive a considerable volume of crude oil and liquefied natural gas from local oil wells.
“So, the production of LPG will never stop in the Northeast. However, the output capacity may drop in the long term if the crisis continues,” the official added.
The assurance comes amid disruptions in global energy supplies due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which has affected around 30 per cent of India’s gas imports.
To ensure uninterrupted fuel availability for households and transport sectors, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has reworked gas allocation priorities.
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Under the revised arrangement, LPG production, compressed natural gas (CNG) and piped cooking gas will be prioritised over other sectors that rely on natural gas.
The ministry has also directed refineries to maximise LPG output by diverting petrochemical feedstock streams towards cooking gas production.
At present, the Northeast requires about 1.91 lakh domestic LPG cylinders of 14.2 kg each per day, with Assam alone accounting for around 1.34 lakh cylinders.
IOC supplies roughly 1.62 lakh domestic cylinders daily across the region, including about 1.06 lakh cylinders in Assam.
In the commercial segment of 19 kg cylinders, the Northeast market requires around 5,777 units per day, of which IOC supplies 4,106 units.
Officials said that from 10 March, commercial LPG supplies have been halted for most sectors except essential services such as hospitals and educational institutions in line with government orders.
The Centre has also extended the LPG refill booking cycle for domestic consumers to 25 days from the earlier 21 days in a bid to prevent hoarding and black marketing while ensuring steady supplies to households.
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