The Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Saturday issued a notification, saying that households with both Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connection and Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) subscription shall surrender the latter and also avoid getting cylinder refills government oil companies or their authorised distributors.
The notification was issued amid the ongoing West Asia crisis, which has disrupted the global fuel supply.
“No person having a Piped Natural Gas connection and also having a domestic LPG connection shall retain a domestic LPG connection, or take refills of domestic LPG cylinders from any Government oil company, or through their distributors. Such persons will be required to immediately surrender their domestic LPG connection,” the notification by the Centre stated.
Consumers Asked To Surrender LPG Connections
The restriction has been introduced through an amendment to the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Order, 2026, notified by the government.
Oil marketing companies have also been instructed not to issue new LPG connections or refills to consumers who already have piped gas access.
The move is aimed at preventing duplication of cooking gas supply and ensuring that LPG cylinders are available for households that do not have access to PNG networks.
Govt Assures Uninterrupted LPG Supply
Meanwhile, the government on Friday said it is ensuring uninterrupted cooking gas supplies across the country amid a spike in panic bookings triggered by the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said fears of shortages had led to a sudden increase in LPG refill bookings in recent days even though supplies remain adequate.
“Average refill booking in the country is 55.7 lakh cylinders per day. However, bookings surged to 75.7 lakh on March 12. This is nothing but panic buying,” she said at a media briefing.
She said distributors across the country have sufficient stocks and supply chains are functioning normally, urging consumers not to panic book or queue up at LPG dealerships.
Supplies Prioritised For Households, Essential Sectors
The government said LPG supplies are being prioritised for household kitchens as well as essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions.
However, supplies to commercial establishments like hotels and restaurants were curtailed after the war in West Asia disrupted energy sourcing from overseas.
To increase availability, the government has diverted refinery streams to maximise LPG production, leading to a 30 per cent rise in domestic output since March 5.
60 Lakh Households Advised To Shift To PNG
The government has also advised around 60 lakh households located near existing PNG infrastructure to switch to piped gas connections.
Officials said piped gas offers continuous supply and reduces dependence on cylinder bookings and deliveries. Encouraging consumers to shift to PNG would also help ease pressure on LPG distribution.
Sharma noted that while LPG imports have been affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the supply of piped natural gas has continued without disruption.
India currently has around 33.37 crore LPG consumers, while about 1.5 crore households receive cooking gas through PNG connections.
Strict Action Against Hoarding And Black Marketing
The government warned that strict action would be taken against hoarders and black marketers trying to exploit the situation.
Senior officials from the petroleum and civil supplies ministries have held meetings with states and Union territories and asked them to crack down on illegal hoarding.
Sharma cited instances of action taken by state authorities, including suspension of petrol pump dealerships in Tamil Nadu for dispensing fuel in jerrycans, and said more such measures would follow.
She reiterated that there is no shortage of cooking gas for households and urged consumers to book refills online only when required.
(With inputs from PTI)
