“Petrol and diesel are available in adequate quantities at all petrol pumps… Regarding LPG, I would like to state that this remains a matter of concern for us. Nevertheless, despite this situation, no dry out has been reported at any of our 25,000 distributors. I would like to appeal to all fellow citizens not to give credence to rumours and to refrain from engaging in panic buying,” said Sujata Sharma.

The government said commercial LPG cylinders have also been made available to state authorities so that supplies can be distributed according to priority where needed.

Refineries running at full capacity

India’s refining sector is operating at full strength to maintain fuel availability, officials said.

“As far as crude oil is concerned, we possess a refining capacity of 258 million metric tons. We are self-sufficient in the production of petrol and diesel; consequently, there is no need to import these fuels into India. All our refineries are currently operating at 100% capacity or higher. The refineries hold adequate inventories of crude oil, and furthermore, supplies are being consistently maintained,” said Sharma.

India has nearly 100,000 fuel retail outlets nationwide, none of which have reported shortages of petrol or diesel, officials said.

PNG and CNG supply stable

The government also said the supply of piped natural gas (PNG) to households and compressed natural gas (CNG) for vehicles remains stable across the country.

“The supply of PNG (Piped Natural Gas) to domestic consumers and CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) is being ensured without any interruptions or cuts. Given this situation, there is absolutely no need for panic…Furthermore, regarding commercial consumers in our major urban cities and centres – many of whom are currently facing difficulties due to their reliance on LPG supplies – the Government of India is making every effort to address their concerns. We appeal to all such commercial consumers to contact their local CGD (City Gas Distribution) network provider or their designated dealer to obtain a PNG connection,” said Sharma.

Around 15 million households in India are currently connected to PNG networks, while another 6 million homes located near existing gas pipelines can easily obtain PNG connections, officials said.