Is the Country Heading Towards a Severe Cooking Gas Crisis? Will Hotel Operations Come to a Halt? Centre Gives Indications

New Delhi: Indications suggest that the country is entering a severe cooking gas crisis. The central government has made a crucial decision to restrict the supply of cooking gas to domestic consumers only. Under this new directive, it will be mandatory to ensure that domestic cooking gas is not supplied to hotels, and the amount of commercial cooking gas currently being supplied will be reduced.

According to reports, the government has constituted a special committee comprising executive directors of state-run oil companies, Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum to ensure an uninterrupted supply of LPG to hospitals and educational institutions. The committee will also address complaints from hotels, restaurants, and other industries, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said.

While the Centre maintains that there is no LPG shortage, this strict decision signals that the country may be entering a severe cooking gas crisis. Earlier, a 25-day interval was made mandatory for domestic cylinder bookings. If the West Asian conflict escalates, many sectors of the country could face further crises.

The price of LPG cylinders increased last Saturday due to the Iran-Israel-US war and disruptions in key energy shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz. The domestic cooking gas rate was raised by Rs 60, while the commercial LPG cylinder rate increased by Rs 115. Meanwhile, the Bangalore Hotels Association announced on Monday that operations of hotels and restaurants in Bangalore city would be affected starting March 10.