New Delhi, March 16: The government announced on Monday that there are a total of 25,605 LPG distributors across the country as of March 1, 2026. Out of these, 17,677 distributors are located in rural areas. These distributors are supplied through 214 LPG bottling plants operated by oil marketing companies (OMCs).
In response to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Suresh Gopi, stated that to enhance LPG accessibility in rural and remote areas, 8,037 new distributors have been established between April 2016 and February 2026. Notably, 7,444 of these, or about 93 percent, are serving rural regions.
To promote transparency and empower consumers, the government has introduced an IVRS and SMS-based LPG refill booking system nationwide. This system sends SMS alerts to consumers at critical stages such as booking, cash memo creation, and delivery.
Additionally, OMCs have implemented a Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) system, which is sent via SMS to consumers. The delivery is confirmed only when the delivery personnel present this code.
To ensure affordable LPG for consumers, the government provided OMCs with ₹22,000 crores in compensation for the fiscal year 2022-23, and an additional ₹30,000 crores has been approved for the fiscal year 2025-26.
The minister highlighted that the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), launched in May 2016, aims to provide free LPG connections to adult women from impoverished families.
As of March 1, 2026, approximately 10.56 crore LPG connections have been distributed under the Ujjwala scheme.
Currently, the retail price of a 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder in Delhi is ₹913. Beneficiaries of the Ujjwala scheme receive a targeted subsidy of ₹300 per cylinder, effectively bringing the cost down to ₹613 in Delhi.
According to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, India has achieved self-sufficiency in the production of petrol and diesel, eliminating the need for imports to meet domestic demand. All refineries in the country are operating at high capacity and maintaining adequate crude oil reserves.
The ministry emphasized that the government prioritizes the interests of domestic consumers and is continuously working to ensure uninterrupted LPG supply to essential sectors such as homes, hospitals, and educational institutions.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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