Union home secretary Govind Mohan on Wednesday directed the chief secretaries of all states and union territories (UTs) and their director generals of police (DGPs) to monitor the supply of LPG and ensure there is no black marketing or hoarding, people familiar with the development said.
Mohan also asked the states/UTs to ensure there is no breakdown of law and order in the sale and distribution of LPG cylinders, they said.
The meeting, convened virtually around 3 pm, comes after reports of a shortage of gas cylinders started coming from various parts of the country, even as the government said in a briefing that it is monitoring the global situation and taking necessary steps to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies and protect households and priority sectors.
“The home secretary said that the states/UTs and the senior police officers need to ensure there is no black marketing or hoarding by individuals or groups, which may lead to further shortages and impact household supplies. He also asked the DGPs to ensure there is no breakdown of law and order in the sale and distribution of LPG cylinders,” a home ministry officer, requesting anonymity, said.
Representatives of the consumer affairs ministry were also present in the meeting, officials said.
The chief secretaries, a second officer said, have been asked to take regular reports from the police and other officials on the evolving situation and to brief police personnel on the instructions from the Centre.
“The states/UTs have also been told to take steps to curb any kind of rumour-mongering about the country’s purported fuel shortage,” the officer added.
India’s total gas consumption in 2024-25 was about 71.3 billion cubic metres (BCM) with 50.1% import dependency, according to the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC). The West Asia conflict has disrupted about one-third of total LNG imports, according to experts. The balance of India’s LNG imports comes from the US, Russia, and Australia.
India imports natural gas in liquefied form as LNG, which, once re-gasified, feeds the pipeline network supplying PNG to households and CNG to vehicles. LPG — the cooking gas used by homes and commercial establishments — is a separate product, but its domestic production depends in part on natural gas processing, meaning disruptions to LNG imports squeeze both supply chains.
