Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri
| Photo Credit:
ANI
Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri told Parliament on Thursday that restaurants will get 20 per cent of the average monthly requirement. He also assured that alternative sources being used to meet LPG requirements.
Hospitality sector all over India is facing severe problem in LPG supply. Taking note of that, Puri said extensive meetings have been held with State civil supply departments and restaurant associations across the country and are continuing. A committee set up to monitor developments on the LPG front has assessed genuine need by geography and sector to ensure available commercial volume reaches genuine users first.
“In a major decision, 20 per cent of the average monthly Commercial LPG requirement will be allocated from today by OMCs, in coordination with the State Governments so that there is no hoarding or black marketing,” he said.
According to the Minister, in an effort to ease pressure on LPG and gas channels, kerosene is now available through retail outlets and PDS channels along. Also, fuel oil is being made available for industrial and commercial consumers. “Environment Ministry has advised State Pollution Control Boards to permit, for the duration of this crisis period, the use of biomass, RDF pellets, and Kerosene/coal as alternate fuels for the hospitality and restaurant segment for 1 month, which would enable a wider range of establishments to switch and free up LPG for priority consumers,” he said.
He informed that around 60 per cent of LPG requirement was being met through import Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Remaining is being produced domestically. “Procurement has now been actively diversified, with cargoes being secured from the United States, Norway, Canada, Algeria, and Russia, in addition to available Gulf sources,” he said whilre adding that in the last 5 days, LPG production has been increased by 28 per cent through refinery directives, and further procurement is actively underway.
Special discussion
Puri was responding to a special discussion on LPG based on notice given by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. During the debate on Supplementary Demands for Grants, Speaker Om Birla allowed Gandhi to speak. He started by saying that US-Israel and Iran war is going to have far-reaching consequences. He also highlighted that closure of Strait of Hormuz, will have tremendous repercussions.
“Whether our relationship with different oil suppliers can be decided by us, this is what has been battered. And this is a very puzzling fact why a nation the size of India would allow any other nation, the President of another nation, to give us permission to buy Russian oil and I have figured the puzzle out. And the puzzle is about compromise,” Gandhi said.
Published on March 12, 2026