Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has stressed that India’s crude oil position is secured. He said the domestic supply of LPG is fully protected, and the standard time for booking to delivery for domestic LPG cylinders remains unchanged at 2.5 days. He said the government’s priority is to provide an uninterrupted LPG supply to 33 crore families, especially the poor and the underprivileged.
The Minister today made a statement in the Lok Sabha about the steps taken by the government in response to the disruption to the global energy supply arising from the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Mr. Puri said, despite having no role in causing the West Asia conflict, India has to navigate through its consequences. He said the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed to commercial shipping for the first time in recorded history. He said there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, kerosene, and Aviation Turbine Fuel in the country.
He said retail outlets across the country are stocked, and supply chains for these products are functioning normally. He also said that the refineries are operating at high capacity utilisation and in several cases they are exceeding 100 per cent.
The Minister said India was previously importing approximately 60 per cent of its LPG requirements from Gulf countries such as Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, while 40 per cent is produced domestically. He said procurement has now been actively diversified, with cargoes being secured from the United States, Norway, Canada, Algeria and Russia.
The Minister said, LPG production has been increased by 28 per cent through refinery directives, and further procurement is currently underway. He said the natural gas supply has been managed through prioritised allocation, and the position is stable. He said large LNG cargoes are arriving on an almost daily basis through alternative supply routes, and India has sufficient gas production and supply arrangements to sustain this position even in the event of a prolonged conflict.
He said commercial LPG has been regulated to prevent black marketing and not to penalise the hospitality sector. He said LPG production has been stepped up by 28 per cent.
Earlier, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, said that there is a lot of panic regarding LPG, and restaurants are struggling to operate, and street vendors are also being affected. He said the foundation of every nation is its energy security. He questioned why a nation the size of India would allow any other country to give permission to buy Russian oil.
When the Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri was making a statement, opposition parties created a ruckus in the House. Amid sloganeering, the Chair adjourned the House till 5 PM.
