Ahmedabad, April 6: Despite a surge in bookings due to rumors, Gujarat successfully fulfilled its monthly demand of 6.8 million LPG cylinders in March. Officials confirmed that the supply of petrol, diesel, and cooking gas remained stable across the state.
During a state-level briefing, Sanjeev Kumar Behera, the state head and executive director of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), stated that there was a significant increase in LPG demand last month, with 7.5 million bookings recorded.
He emphasized that there were no disruptions in distribution. The spike in demand was attributed to panic buying and advance orders spurred by rumors, yet the supply met the state’s requirements.
Behera further noted that Gujarat has 12.7 million active LPG connections, with 88% of bookings and 85% of deliveries confirmed through digital platforms.
Oil marketing companies, including Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, operate 5,133 retail outlets in the state. These outlets are well-stocked with petrol and diesel, and sufficient supplies are available at 17 distribution centers.
“There is no need for panic,” Behera reassured. The long queues observed on March 23 and 24 were due to the rumors, leading to a doubling of sales on those days, with some outlets experiencing sales four to five times higher than usual. However, there was no actual shortage.
Officials reported that the state government is continuously working to manage the rising demand. Recent data indicated that on April 4, 1.76 lakh LPG bookings were made against a supply of 2.43 lakh cylinders, reflecting efforts to clear backlogs.
From March 23 to early April, distribution of smaller 5-kilogram cylinders was increased, especially in industrial areas like Surat, Ankleshwar, and Jamnagar. Approximately 74,000 cylinders were supplied during this period, with 25,000 sold shortly after the sudden demand spike.
Chetan Gandhi, joint director of the Food and Civil Supplies Department, stated that monitoring has been intensified to curb hoarding and black marketing. The government has deployed a revenue officer and a police officer at each gas distribution agency, with a total of 1,029 personnel assigned for daily monitoring.
Since March 5, over 11,300 complaints have been received and addressed, leading to 2,451 raids that resulted in the seizure of 215 cylinders.
Gandhi assured that LPG allocation is being regulated to prioritize domestic consumers and essential services.
My name is Ganpat Singh Choughan. I am an experienced content writer with 7 years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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