To stretch limited LPG stocks, govt weighs reduced cylinder fill ?
Less gas per Cylinder?
New Delhi | Desk: In light of dwindling domestic inventories and a decline in imports triggered by the conflict involving Iran state-run oil companies are preparing to take a major step. According to sources, to conserve limited stocks and ensure supply reaches the maximum number of households, authorities are now considering supplying standard 14.2-kilogram cylinders filled with only 10 kilograms of LPG.
It is noteworthy that Nepal, too, has been distributing 10-kilogram cylinders as a measure to overcome its LPG crisis and extend supplies to a larger consumer base. This approach involves no physical modification to the cylinder itself; rather, it simply entails filling it with a reduced quantity of gas.
Industry experts believe that 10 kilograms of gas could last an average family for approximately one month, thereby facilitating the broader distribution of existing stocks.
If this decision is implemented, stickers indicating the reduced weight will be affixed to the cylinders, and their prices will be lowered in a proportionate manner.
Currently, the availability of LPG within the country remains a matter of grave concern. No new consignments are arriving from the Gulf nations; furthermore, only two vessels-carrying approximately 92,700 tons of gas transited the Strait of Hormuz last week. This quantity is equivalent to merely one day's worth of India's national LPG consumption.
Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Petroleum, has also described the supply situation as "alarming" and has emphasized the critical need for conservation.
According to official data, India imports 60% of its LPG requirements, with 90% of these imports historically originating from the Gulf nations. Amidst supply chain disruptions caused by the conflict and stern warnings issued to Iran by US President Donald Trump, six Indian LPG tankers currently remain stranded in the Persian Gulf.
