India has increased the minimum waiting period for LPG cylinder bookings in both rural and urban areas, as the government tries to manage rising demand amid concerns about supply shortages linked to the Iran conflict. In rural areas, the minimum waiting period between LPG bookings has been increased from 25 days to 45 days. In urban areas, the booking gap has been increased from 21 days to 25 days. Hardeep Singh Puri announced the changes in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

He said the new booking gap was introduced as a demand management measure amid global energy disruptions following tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important oil shipping routes.

However, the minister clarified that there has been no change in the delivery time for domestic LPG cylinders. According to him, the average time between booking and delivery is approximately 2.5 days, the same as before the crisis.

Puri also assured that despite the high demand situation, hospitals and educational institutions will continue to receive LPG supplies without any interruption.

The minister said that reports from the field indicate that panic booking
and hoarding are occurring at the distributor and retailer levels. He explained that the current pressure on the system is not due to a genuine LPG shortage, but rather due to fear among consumers.

According to Puri, the sudden increase in bookings in some areas reflects a worsening demand rather than a production or supply disruption.

To strengthen monitoring, the government is expanding the coverage of the Delivery Authentication Code system to 90 per cent of consumers from the current 50 per cent.

Under this system, a cylinder can be marked as delivered only after the consumer confirms receipt using a one-time code sent to their registered mobile number. This helps prevent cylinder diversion or illegal sale.

Commercial LPG supplies to resume
Puri also announced that commercial LPG cylinder supplies will resume from Thursday. He said that oil marketing companies will immediately supply 20% of the average monthly commercial LPG demand in coordination with state governments. This is aimed at preventing hoarding and black marketing.

The government is also introducing alternative fuel options to ease pressure on LPG supplies. Kerosene will be supplied through retail outlets and the public distribution system (PDS), while fuel oil will be made available to industrial and commercial users.

Domestic LPG production increased
The minister said domestic LPG supplies are secure and production has been increased to manage the situation. He told Parliament that LPG production has increased by 28 percent in the last five days, which has helped ensure adequate availability during the current crisis.

PC: News18