Central Government's Claim of No LPG Crisis Falls Apart; 45-Day Booking Deadline Imposed

New Delhi: The central government has changed the deadline for booking LPG cylinders. According to the new directive, LPG cylinders in rural areas can now only be booked after 45 days, while in urban areas, bookings can be made after a deadline of 25 days.

The central government informed Parliament on Thursday that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, kerosene, or cooking gas in the country, and that fuel supply is secure. The new regulation comes at a time when the government has been claiming that the domestic LPG supply in India is completely secure and that the country has sufficient reserves to meet any eventuality.

The minister stated that the country’s refineries are operating at full capacity, supply chains are functioning smoothly, and there is adequate stock. The center insists that there is no barrier to booking domestic gas and that everyone will have access to it.

However, the reality on the ground is different. Many hotels in states like Kerala are closing down every day due to a shortage of cooking gas. Several hostels in Kerala have completely shut down, and others are running with limited resources. Even households are facing mandatory waiting periods of 25 to 90 days to book cooking gas.

While the government argues that there is no shortage in the country, it has yet to provide an answer as to why such a waiting period has been made mandatory for booking cooking gas. Police have even been deployed in front of cooking gas distribution agencies in Delhi for security. Despite this reality, the government continues to make such false statements in Parliament.