New Delhi, April 07: Amid the West Asia crisis, the central government on Tuesday stated that the supply of petrol, diesel, LPG, and PNG in the country remains stable, and fuel stations have sufficient stock. Our refineries are performing well, some even running above 100% capacity.
Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing and Oil Refinery), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said at an inter-ministerial press conference here that domestic cooking gas (LPG) distribution is continuing smoothly with 96% online booking and OTP-based delivery. She said that around 6,500 tonnes of commercial LPG has been supplied, while strong demand has been seen for 5-kg cylinders. One lakh gas cylinders have been supplied in a single day, and more than 7.8 lakh cylinders have been sold since March 23.
Sujata Sharma stated that natural gas supplies remain stable in key areas, with the expansion of PNG connections and the transition of over 16,500 consumers to LPG. The government is also promoting compressed biogas through a model CBG policy, pairing it with additional commercial LPG allocations to states. Refineries are operating at optimal levels with comfortable crude oil availability, while enforcement through raids, fines, and distributor suspensions has been intensified, in close coordination with states to maintain stability and prevent panic.
Joint Secretary Sujata Sharma stated that there have been no reports of shortages at LPG distributorships, and all petrol pumps are operating normally. She also stated that there have been no reports of shortages at petrol pumps. Yesterday, 6,500 tons of commercial LPG was supplied. Oil marketing companies have organized 1,300 awareness camps. Sharma said that fertilizer companies have been asked to reduce their natural gas consumption by 90% from the 6th.
Mukesh Mangal, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, stated that all Indian seafarers are safe and no incidents involving Indian-flagged ships have been reported in the past 24 hours. He said that currently, 16 Indian-flagged ships with 433 seafarers remain in the Western Persian Gulf region. The Directorate General of Shipping is coordinating with shipowners, RPSL agencies, and Indian missions and actively monitoring the situation.
Mukesh Mangal said that the DG Shipping Control Room has handled over 5,342 calls and nearly 11,000 emails in the past 24 hours, including 229 calls and 406 emails. So far, over 1,691 Indian seafarers have been safely repatriated, including 92 in the past 24 hours. He added that ports across India are operational, with no congestion reported. State maritime boards have also confirmed smooth functioning.
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs, Aseem R. Mahajan, stated that flight operations are continuing from countries where airspace is open. Approximately 7.6 lakh passengers have arrived in India since February 28th. He stated that approximately 90 flights are expected from the United Arab Emirates today, while services are also operating from Saudi Arabia and Oman.
He added that Qatar is operating limited flights, while Kuwait and Bahrain’s airspace is closed. Alternative arrangements are being made through Saudi Arabia. The Embassy in Tehran has facilitated the movement of 1,862 Indians, including students and fishermen, to Armenia and Azerbaijan for onward travel. Travel from Israel, Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain is also being facilitated through neighboring countries to ensure their return to India.