Mumbai, Apr 6 (PTI) The Maharashtra government on Monday said there is no shortage of petroleum products in the state amid the West Asia crisis and asked people to avoid panic buying.
The state had faced challenges in LPG supply due to dependence on imports from Gulf countries, but the situation is now improving with calibrated policy measures by the Union government, Additional Chief Secretary (Food and Civil Supplies) Anil Diggikar asserted.
Addressing a joint press briefing, he said, "Petrol and diesel stocks are adequate in the state. The situation has stabilised. LPG supply to the commercial sector has also been partially restored."
Controller of Rationing and Nodal Officer (Crisis Management for Integrated Food Supply) Chandrakant Dange said LPG supply to commercial cylinder distribution was halted initially on the Centre's directives.
"Subsequently, phased relaxation was introduced. First, 20 per cent allocation was allowed for essential services such as hospitals, schools, orphanages, crematoriums and government establishments. In the second phase, another 20 per cent quota was released for restaurants, dhabas, canteens and community kitchens, based on about 20 per cent of their pre-crisis consumption," he explained.
In the third phase, labour-intensive industries such as steel, textiles, dairy, food processing and pharmaceuticals were given priority, Dange said.
Maharashtra's LPG supply position remains stable with the state being around 45-50 per cent self-sufficient, he added.
"As of now, we have a reserve stock of about 27,000 metric tonnes of LPG, which is sufficient for nearly three days," he said.
"In Mumbai and adjoining areas, nearly 25-50 per cent of LPG and petroleum products come from domestic production. Even if any adverse situation arises, we will be able to manage it with this level of self-sufficiency," Dange said.
The government is strongly promoting Piped Natural Gas (PNG) where infrastructure exists, including Mumbai, Thane, Pune etc with measures like deemed approvals for pending permissions, mandated clearances within 24 hours, waived or reduced road excavation charges and allowing 24x7, all-season work, including monsoon, he said.
"Consumers in areas where PNG networks are available must register by June 30. Failing this, LPG supply may be discontinued in those areas," he said.
Dange said strict action has been taken against hoarding and black marketing of LPG, with 12,226 inspections being conducted between March 1 and April 5.
"Authorities seized 2,930 cylinders, 28,965 kg of LPG, 21 vehicles and two tankers. A total of 53 FIRs were registered and 33 persons arrested. Goods worth over Rs 2.4 crore were confiscated. State and district-level monitoring committees have been set up to track stock, supply, and sales of petrol, diesel, LPG and PNG," he informed.
The Centre has allocated 3,744 kilolitres of kerosene to Maharashtra as an alternative fuel, which will be distributed through ration shops, Dange said.
Umesh Kulkarni, State Level Coordinator representing oil companies (HPCL, BPCL and IOC), reiterated that fuel supply remains stable.
"There are 24 depots and over 8,000 petrol pumps in Maharashtra. Daily consumption remains at around 18,500 KL of petrol and 40,000 KL of diesel, with no reduction. The state has 3.5 crore domestic consumers. Around 5.8 lakh cylinders are supplied daily from 23 plants, matching pre-crisis levels," he said.
He also said 27,000 five-kg LPG cylinders are being distributed to migrant workers and the Centre has been urged to increase this quota by 25 per cent.
Requests have been made to increase LPG allocation for auto-rickshaws and irrigation pumps, while fertiliser supply for agriculture continues to be regulated by the Centre, other officials said.
Citizens need not panic as sufficient stock is available, they added.
They said supply of LPG will not be discontinued across the state, clarifying restrictions will apply only in areas where PNG infrastructure is available and feasible. In such cases too, a notice period of up to three months could be given before any restriction on LPG supply is implemented, the officials said.
However, they stressed LPG supply will continue uninterrupted in areas where PNG infrastructure is not available or technically unfeasible, such as slum settlements and difficult terrains.
Some 12 city gas distribution (CGD) companies are currently engaged in expanding PNG networks across Maharashtra, with connectivity reaching 20-22 districts.
Responding to concerns about supply shortages in parts of Mumbai, including Kandivali, Goregaon, Andheri and Dharavi, officials maintained that there is no shortage of domestic LPG.
They urged consumers to avoid visiting distribution centres unnecessarily, stating that an OTP-based home delivery system is in place.
On the transition to PNG, officials said the move is driven by economic and safety considerations as LPG production is costly and India imports nearly 60 per cent of its requirement.
PNG is estimated to be 20-22 per cent cheaper for consumers, they added.
They said diesel prices for certain consumer categories, including fishermen, are linked to global crude oil prices and have increased accordingly in recent months.