Crude Situation Normal, No Dryouts Reported; 6,000 Raids Conducted on LPG Hoarders

The Indian government moved to reassure the public on Thursday that the nation’s crude oil and retail fuel supplies remain stable despite the escalating conflict in West Asia and the closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. During an inter-ministerial briefing at the National Media Centre, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing & Oil Refinery) at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, stated that the crude situation is normal with no "dryouts" reported at any retail outlets.

While maintaining that retail supply is functioning at a normal pace, Sharma admitted that the LPG supply chain remains under pressure, describing the situation as "still worrisome" due to India's heavy reliance on imports through the now-blocked shipping lane. To manage this, the government has launched a massive nationwide crackdown on illegal hoarding. Sharma revealed that over 6,000 raids were conducted yesterday alone across various states, including Uttar Pradesh, where authorities seized 1,000 cylinders from the black market.

Strategic Shift to Alternate Fuels

To alleviate the strain on cylinder stocks, the Ministry has issued a direct appeal to urban consumers. Sharma urged citizens to transition wherever possible, stating that the government is "appealing to the LPG users if they can shift to the PNG (Piped Natural Gas)." To facilitate this transition, the government has fast-tracked household connections, noting that an increased number of industrial-to-household conversions have been authorized in the last two weeks to prioritize domestic needs.

The briefing also highlighted a significant shift in consumer behavior, with online LPG bookings surging to 94%, which has helped reduce the "panic booking" witnessed earlier in the month. "The highest priority LPG consumers are domestic users," Sharma emphasized, while advising the public to rely only on official information and "not trust rumours or fake news" regarding potential fuel shortages.

To ensure equitable distribution, the Ministry has established dedicated control rooms and district-level monitoring units. These bodies are tasked specifically with controlling black marketing and ensuring that the 40% increase in domestic LPG production from Indian refineries reaches households rather than illegal commercial diversions. Sharma concluded by reiterating that while the global situation remains challenging, the government is "doing their best so that we do not run out of LPG" and encouraged the use of alternate fuels as a matter of priority for the duration of the crisis.

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