Govt gasifies 3.1 lakh PNG connections in March amid LPG disruption

More than 31 lakh PNG connections covering domestic commercial hostel and canteen segments have been gasified in March while another 27 lakh new connections have been given and are being gasified to make more natural gas available for cooking amid disruptions in LPG imports due to the Iran war the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry announced on TuesdayMore than 50 lakh domestic LPG cylinders are being delivered daily on average since March 1 2026 and no dryouts have been reported at LPG distributorships Besides over 32 lakh 5 kg cylinders have been sold to migrant labourers since March 23 with more than 63000 sold on Monday a ministry statement saidIn the case of piped natural gas PNG and CNG for vehicles priority has been accorded to consumers with 100 per cent supply to meet demand Supplies to industrial and commercial consumers connected to the grid are being maintained at around 80 per cent of their average consumption it addedMeasures have been put in place to ensure the uninterrupted availability of petroleum products and LPG across the country in view of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz the statement saidAll refineries are operating at high capacity with adequate crude inventories and sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel are being maintained while domestic LPG production from refineries has been increased to support local consumption it saidAll petrol pumps are operating normally across the country However instances of panic buying due to rumours have been noticed in certain areas resulting in unusually high sales and crowding at retail outlets However adequate stocks of petrol and diesel are available at all petrol pumps across the country the statement highlightedThe government has reiterated its advice to the public not to believe rumours and has requested state governments to disseminate correct information through press briefingsOnline LPG bookings have increased to around 92 per cent while the delivery authentication code DAC based deliveries have increased from 53 per cent in February 2026 to 83 per cent at present helping prevent diversionCommercial LPG supply has been restored to 70 per cent of precrisis levels including reformbased allocations The latest additional allocation prioritises industries such as steel automobile textile chemicals and plastics especially process industries requiring specialised heatingMost states and UTs have issued orders for nondomestic LPG allocation with around 41503 MT uplifted since March 14City gas distribution CGD entities have been advised to prioritise PNG connections for commercial establishments such as restaurants hotels and canteens to address concerns regarding commercial LPG availabilityCGD entities have also been directed to prioritise PNG connections for residential schools colleges hostels community kitchens and Anganwadi kitchens within 5 days where pipelines are availableSupply to operating urea fertiliser plants is now steady at around 7075 per cent of their last 6month average consumption Additional LNG cargoes and Regasified LNG RLNG are also being sourced to maintain the supplies and pipeline hydraulicsCGD companies including IGL MGL GAIL Gas and BPCL are offering incentives to promote domestic and commercial PNG connectionsThe Centre has requested states UTs and Central Ministries to expedite approvals for CGD network expansionAn additional 10 per cent allocation of commercial LPG has been offered to states and UTs to support longterm transition from LPG to PNG with allocations recommended based on reform measures undertaken by statesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever