New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) More than 97 lakh domestic LPG cylinders were delivered against bookings of around 87.66 lakh cylinders in the last two days, with online bookings for cooking gas rising to 99 per cent, according to an update issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Wednesday.

The supply of domestic LPG is normal, with 95 per cent of the deliveries based on the authentication code sent to registered mobile numbers of consumers to prevent diversion at the distributor level. No dry-outs have been reported at retail distributorships despite the disruptions due to the West Asian crisis, the statement said.

Around 1.11 lakh small 5 kg LPG cylinders were also sold during the last two days. Since April 3, public sector oil companies have organised more than 10,700 camps to increase awareness about the small cylinders used for cooking by migrant workers in urban areas.

Besides, more than 15,493 metric tonnes (equivalent to more than 8.15 lakh 19 kg LPG cylinders) of commercial LPG have been sold during the last two days.

A three-member committee of Executive Directors of the IOCL, HPCL, and BPCL, in consultation with state authorities and industry bodies, finalises the plan for the sale of commercial LPG in the states/UTs.

About 6.5 lakh PNG connections have been gasified and infrastructure created for an additional 2.66 lakh connections, taking the total to 9.16 lakh connections. Further, about 7.08 lakh customers have been registered for new connections.

Meanwhile, enforcement actions continue across the country to curb hoarding and black marketing of LPG. More than 2,000 raids were conducted across the country on Thursday.

Public sector oil companies have strengthened and continued surprise inspections and imposed penalties on 378 LPG distributorships, and 76 LPG distributorships have been suspended till Thursday.

Retail prices for petrol and diesel remain unchanged despite the global spike in oil prices, and adequate stocks of the two fuels are available at all petrol pumps of public sector oil companies, including Indian Oil, BPCL, and HPCL across the country, the statement said.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas further stated that it is taking steps to ensure the uninterrupted availability of petroleum products and LPG across the country, despite the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Citizens are advised to avoid panic purchases of petrol, diesel, and LPG and to beware of rumours and rely on official sources for correct information. LPG consumers are requested to use digital booking platforms and avoid visiting distributors.

All refineries are operating at high capacity with adequate crude inventories, while sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel are being maintained. Local LPG production from refineries has been increased to support domestic consumption, the statement added.

–IANS

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