Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced on Monday that India successfully avoided any shortage of crude oil, LPG, and pipeline natural gas, despite two major global conflicts disrupting international energy markets over the past four years.
Global Conflicts and Energy Challenges
Speaking to media after attending a DISHA committee meeting in Varanasi, Puri highlighted that the ongoing conflict in West Asia, nearing 80 days, and the earlier Russia-Ukraine war, which began in February 2022, posed unprecedented challenges to global fuel supply chains. However, India managed to maintain uninterrupted availability of petroleum products across the country.
“Today, the war in West Asia is nearing 80 days. Earlier, the Russia-Ukraine war began in Feb 2022. These are two major wars within four years, and both created massive disruptions in the global energy sector,” Puri stated. Despite these geopolitical crises, he emphasized that India ensured “not a single shortage” of crude oil, LPG, or pipeline natural gas anywhere in the country.
Government Measures and Consumer Protection
The minister credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking timely decisions to stabilize the energy sector during volatile global conditions. He noted that the government continued to shield consumers despite mounting financial pressure on oil marketing companies (OMCs). Puri revealed that OMCs were currently facing losses of nearly Rs 1,000 crore per day due to under-recoveries, yet the government persisted in efforts to keep LPG affordable for common households.
Addressing concerns over LPG price increases, Puri explained that the rise translated into a minimal burden on consumers. “If one family uses one cylinder in three months, the increase roughly comes to around Rs 1-2 per day,” he said, while acknowledging that even such increases should ideally be avoided.
Expansion of Piped Natural Gas (PNG)
Puri stressed the government's push to expand piped natural gas (PNG) connections across Varanasi and other cities to reduce dependence on LPG cylinders. He said the government was encouraging faster conversion of domestic LPG consumers to pipeline gas connections through GAIL. Currently, Varanasi is adding nearly 800 effective pipeline gas connections every day, including around 400 households shifting from LPG usage. Puri described pipeline gas as more efficient, economical, and convenient for consumers.
Highlighting institutional usage, the minister mentioned that several large kitchens serving food to nearly 60,000-70,000 children daily had switched from commercial LPG cylinders to pipeline gas. In one instance, a kitchen that previously consumed nearly 6,000 commercial cylinders every month now fully transitioned to PNG.
“We want this pace to increase further. Instead of 800 connections daily, we want the number to double or triple in Varanasi,” he said, adding that the government aims to convert nearly 50,000 LPG connections to pipeline gas every day across the country in the future.
Action Against Hoarding and Black Marketing
Puri also warned against hoarding and black marketing of LPG cylinders during isolated instances of panic buying, stating that strict action was taken against several distributors involved in irregularities. He reiterated that there was no shortage of petrol, diesel, LPG, or natural gas in Varanasi or elsewhere in the country.
Review of Development Schemes
The minister reviewed the implementation of central government schemes under the DISHA committee meeting chaired by district authorities. He said the meeting reviewed a 120-page status report on various development projects and discussed pending issues raised by MPs and MLAs.
Praising Uttar Pradesh's infrastructure growth under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Puri referred to major projects, including the ropeway system and international-standard cricket stadiums, coming up in the state. “Development work is taking place at full speed in Uttar Pradesh,” he concluded.
