Opposition leaders staged a protest inside the Parliament complex on Wednesday, raising concerns over the shortage of LPG and growing global tensions linked to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Several senior MPs, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, SP’s Dharmendra Yadav, CPI-ML’s Sudama Prasad, DMK’s T Sumathy, and JMM’s Mahua Maji, gathered near Makar Dwar to register their protest.
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They held up a large banner that read “Empty Cylinders, Empty Promises” and shouted slogans, accusing the government of not ensuring enough LPG supply.
The supply crunch comes at a time when tensions in West Asia are affecting global energy flows. In response to the situation, the government has given priority to using domestically produced natural gas for LPG, CNGand piped cooking gas.
Govt says no change in LPG booking rules
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has said that reports claiming changes in LPG refill booking timelines are incorrect. It made it clear on Wednesday that the current system is still in place and nothing has been revised.
According to the ministry, some news reports and social media posts had suggested new waiting periods – 45 days for PMUY users, 25 days for single-cylinder users, and 35 days for double-cylinder users outside the scheme. The government has dismissed these claims, saying no such update has been made.
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At present, the refill booking gap remains the same, which is 25 days in urban areas and 45 days in rural areas, regardless of the type of connection.
The ministry also urged people not to believe or share such false information, warning that it could lead to unnecessary panic booking. It assured that LPG stocks in the country are sufficient and there is no shortage at the moment.
During an inter-ministerial briefing on the West Asia situation, Joint Secretary Sujata Sharma said refineries across the country are running at high capacity and there is enough crude oil available to meet demand. |
