‘No shortage of LPG supplies’

Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies,  N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Friday assured LPG consumers all over the state of uninterrupted supplies and distribution  for domestic consumers amid rising concerns triggered by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

He chaired a high-level video conference, held from the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Telangana Secretariat on the state's Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) supply situation. Addressing key stakeholders including the Chief Secretary, district Collectors senior officials from the Civil Supplies department, Superintendents of Police, Police Commissioners, and representatives from Oil Companies (OMCs).

He emphasised thorough coordination among all the agencies concerned to ensure  adequate stock levels and effective mechanisms for timely delivery while initiating stringent measures for curbing hoarding activity and strategies to counter misinformation fueling public anxiety.

The Minister firmly assured the participants and the public that there is no shortage of domestic LPG in Telangana. He urged citizens to avoid panic booking based on unverified social media rumors, stressing that the supply chain remains stable and fresh consignments arrive regularly. Officials reported that the state maintains about 10,611 metric tonnes of LPG in stock—equivalent to roughly 6.97 lakh cylinders.

Telangana boasts a robust LPG network, with around 12.9 million active domestic connections serviced by 810 distributors. The daily requirement stands at approximately 2.5 lakh cylinders, of which domestic users account for nearly 86%, leaving commercial demand at about 14%. No bottling plant in the state has faced disruptions, and over 90% of domestic demand has been consistently met in recent periods, he said. A key measure discussed was the enforcement of revised booking intervals to prevent diversion of subsidized domestic cylinders to commercial or hoarding purposes. 

The government has aligned with national guidelines to set the minimum booking gap at 25 days for urban consumers and 45 days for rural consumers. This adjustment, from previous shorter intervals, aims to match realistic household consumption patterns—one cylinder typically lasts 25–45 days depending on family size and usage—while curbing surplus cylinders that could be misused in hotels, restaurants, or black markets.

The Minister said the dedicated coordination committees have been established at both state and district levels. The state-level LPG supply coordination committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, will monitor real-time stock, distribution, and compliance across the state. At the district level, committees led by District Collectors will conduct daily reviews, enforce booking rules, and address local grievances promptly. These bodies include representatives from Civil Supplies, police, and OMCs to ensure seamless collaboration, he said.

The government has mandated zero shortages for essential services such as hospitals, schools, orphanages, old age homes, and other critical institutions. Minor adjustments may apply to commercial sectors only if needed to safeguard domestic priorities, but officials clarified that overall supply stability allows balanced distribution. The administration highlighted the OTP-based delivery verification system, where suppliers generate an OTP sent to the booked customer's registered mobile number. The delivery personnel confirm handover only after the customer provides the OTP, reducing chances of cylinders reaching unauthorised recipients.

The Minister wanted steps from the civil supplies department to address concerns about post-delivery transfers and called for stricter field-level monitoring and awareness drives among distributors. Enforcement against misuse has intensified. Authorities have registered numerous cases under the Essential Commodities Act for hoarding, diversion, and black marketing. District Collectors and police were directed to maintain vigilant patrolling, conduct surprise inspections at dealerships, and take swift legal action against violators, including potential license cancellations.

The Minister appealed for public cooperation, advising reliance on official channels for updates. He reiterated the government's commitment to ensure deliveries meeting genuine requirement of households  and ensuring equitable access during this period of global uncertainty.