The Central government has stated that it is making all attempts on domestic and international fronts to address the hardship caused by the LPG shortage amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia. Amid this, several rumours are doing the rounds about changes to the rules for LPG refill booking timelines. Some news reports and social media posts claimed that the LPG refill booking timeline has been revised to 45 days for PMUY (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana) connections, 25 days for non-PMUY single-bottle connections, and 35 days for non-PMUY double-bottle connections.ย However, the government has not issued a clarification stating that no such changes have been made.ย
Refill booking timelines remain unchanged
According to the clarification, the existing refill booking timelines remain unchanged, at 25 days in urban areas and 45 days in rural areas, irrespective of connection type.ย
“Citizens are advised not to believe or circulate such misinformation and to avoid unnecessary or panic booking of LPG refills. It is reiterated that adequate LPG stocks are available in the country, and there is no cause for concern,” the government said.
Domestic LPG production stepped up
Meanwhile, the government said that domestic LPG production has been stepped up, with no reported dry-outs at distributorships, even as supply remains under pressure due to the prevailing geopolitical situation.
In an update on fuel availability, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said petrol pumps across the country remain fully functional, though panic buying triggered by rumours led to unusually high sales in some areas.
Natural gas supplies to priority segments, such as domestic PNG and CNG transport, remain fully protected, while supplies to industrial and commercial users are maintained at about 80 per cent of average consumption.
Advising restraint, the government called on citizens to use fuel judiciously and to consider alternatives, such as PNG and electric cooking options, during the ongoing crisis.
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