Don’t panic book LPG cylinders, Petroleum Ministry urges consumers; raises booking gap to 25 days

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Wednesday urged citizens not to rush to book LPG cylinders, saying normal deliveries continue despite reports of panic booking. As a temporary demand management measure, the minimum gap between bookings has been increased from 21 days to 25 days.

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Speaking at a press briefing, Sujata Sharma said panic booking and hoarding were triggered by misinformation, and the average domestic LPG delivery cycle remains around two and a half days.


To prevent diversion at the distributor level, the Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) system has been implemented. Sharma added that the government has absorbed a significant portion of cost increases, keeping LPG prices in India lower than many neighbouring countries, and appealed to citizens to cooperate with officials.

Govt approves ₹30,000 crore for LPG under-recoveries, households prioritized
Domestic LPG production has increased by 25%, with all output being directed toward household consumers. For non-domestic use, priority is being given to essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions.

A three-member committee of executive directors from IOCL, HPCL, and BPCL has been constituted to review allocations for restaurants, hotels, and other commercial users. The committee is consulting with state authorities and industry bodies to ensure fair and transparent distribution.

The government has absorbed a significant part of cost increases to protect consumers. The current price of a domestic LPG cylinder in Delhi is ₹913. For a typical PMUY household, the recent ₹60 increase translates to less than 80 paisa per day. Despite a 41% rise in the Saudi contract price since July 2023, PMUY cylinder prices have fallen by 32% due to government support.

A ₹30,000 crore compensation package has been approved for oil marketing companies to cover under-recoveries. LPG prices in India remain lower than in many neighboring countries.

Gas supply disruptions managed with alternative routes
India’s total gas consumption currently stands at about 180.9 million metric standard cubic meters per day (MMSCMD). Of this, around 97.5 MMSCMD is produced domestically, while the rest is imported. Due to Force Majeure conditions, approximately 47.4 MMSCMD of imported supply has been affected. Procurement through alternative routes is underway, and two LNG cargos from new sources are on their way to India.

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To manage the situation effectively, the government has issued a natural gas control order under the Essential Commodities Act. Priority will be given to critical sectors such as refineries and petrochemical units, which will take about a 35% reduction, ensuring higher-priority sectors are protected. These measures, alongside steps to safeguard household LPG supply, aim to mitigate the impact of ongoing global supply disruptions.