Ludhiana: Authorities in this “Manchester of the East” have launched an emergency fuel distribution initiative at petrol refuelling stations to stem an exodus of industrial workers triggered by a shortage of cooking gas amid West Asia crisis.The Ludhiana district administration, in partnership with the food supply department, will begin retailing 5-kg Free Trade LPG (FTL) cylinders at selected petrol pumps to bypass bureaucratic hurdles that have left thousands of labourers unable to cook meals. The move comes as local industrialists warned of a looming production crisis. Migratory workforce, which forms the backbone of Ludhiana’s textile and manufacturing sectors, had begun a “reverse migration” to their home states, citing the inability to secure essential cooking fuel without local residency documentation.“This step addresses the LPG availability challenges faced by residents, particularly labourers who are from other states, and provides much-needed relief,” said deputy commissioner Himanshu Jain. He noted that integrating cooking fuel into the existing petrol retail network would significantly ease daily life for the city’s mobile workforce.A primary driver of the shortage was the stringent “Know Your Customer” (KYC) requirement for standard gas connections, which many migrant workers cannot satisfy. FTL cylinders do not require traditional KYC. Workers can purchase the cylinders simply by presenting a form of identification, such as an Aadhaar card. District food and supplies controllers (DFSCs) have secured pledges from petrol pump owners to maintain consistent stocks of the 5-kg units.Ludhiana’s industry leaders had expressed mounting concern that the twin pressures of commercial LPG scarcity and labour shortages would stall factory operations. Many workers lived in shared accommodations where large-scale cylinders were impractical or unavailable through legal channels. Officials confirmed the rollout would begin at key transit and industrial hubs to maximise accessibility.The administration expects that by removing the “fuel friction” from the lives of migrant workers, they can stabilise the labour force and protect the region’s industrial output.
