Life News
India's kitchen gas squeeze: 53.5 lakh cylinders a day as the government says 'no shortage'
Seven weeks into the Middle East conflict, India's government is trying to calm worries over cooking gas. ETV Bharat reported on April 19 that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said 53.5 lakh (5.35 million) domestic LPG cylinders were delivered on April 18, and claimed full supply of domestic LPG, piped gas and CNG. More than 2,400 raids were carried out that day against hoarding and black-market sales, and over 39,000 piped-gas users had given up their LPG connections. Auto LPG sales had risen to about 305 tonnes a day in April, from a February average of 177.
"Citizens are advised to avoid panic purchase of petrol, diesel and LPG" — Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, via ETV Bharat
The squeeze began early in the war. Kerala Kaumudi reported on March 7 that domestic cylinder bookings would be limited to once every 25 days, as the domestic cylinder price rose Rs 60 to Rs 920 in Kochi and commercial cylinders rose Rs 115. Rest of World reported on March 12 that India had invoked the Essential Commodities Act to curb hoarding, that restaurants in several cities temporarily shut over LPG costs or shortages, affecting an estimated 1 million delivery workers, and that Infosys trimmed cafeteria menus and asked staff to bring food from home.
How each outlet framed it
- ETV Bharat — the official daily delivery count and the crackdown on hoarding.
- Kerala Kaumudi — what households in Kerala pay and how often they can book a cylinder.
- Rest of World — the knock-on effect on restaurants, delivery workers and office canteens.
What we don't know yet: How long supply will hold. In March, Kerala Kaumudi cited government sources saying stocks would last about 30 more days. By mid-April the ministry said deliveries "remain normal against bookings", while ETV Bharat also reported that an Indian-flagged tanker had crossed the Strait of Hormuz and that two Indian vessels reported a firing incident, with no injuries.