Gandhinagar, March 16 (NationPress) The Gujarat administration has urged both domestic and commercial consumers of LPG who possess piped natural gas (PNG) connections to relinquish their LPG connections by March 18. This initiative is a strategic move aimed at optimizing fuel supply and promoting the usage of PNG.

The announcement was made during a press briefing at the Gujarat Assembly complex in Gandhinagar, coinciding with the release of the state’s Budget estimates for 2026–27.

Mona Khandhar, the Additional Chief Secretary for the Gujarat Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Department, indicated that the state has sufficient reserves of domestic LPG cylinders, with buffer stocks consistently on the rise.

"Arrangements for kerosene distribution are also being established alongside LPG," Khandhar noted, emphasizing the state government’s ongoing collaboration with the Central government to ensure an adequate fuel supply.

She further stated that there is an ample supply of PNG available throughout the state for both household and commercial applications, and that the transition from LPG to PNG for existing consumers is being prioritized.

Consumers holding both LPG and PNG connections are instructed to surrender their LPG connections by March 18 as a part of the gas conversion initiative.

The government has also begun implementing plans to supply kerosene in rural regions as a supplementary option to LPG.

Khandhar mentioned that the Central government has allocated 1,452 kilolitres of kerosene, which translates to 14,52,000 litres, for the state.

"Each district will receive 36,000 litres, with five litres allocated per family and 25 litres per institution. Necessary measures are being arranged," she added.

Officials elaborated on the sector-specific allocation of commercial LPG for critical and semi-critical services.

Hospitals and educational institutions are set to receive full supply, whereas the pharma sector, dairy industries, seed processing units, and airline and railway canteens will have a 70% cap on their supply.

Essential services such as fisheries will receive LPG with a 10% cap, while semi-essential sectors, including restaurants, dhabas, hotels, corporate canteens, corporate guest houses, and food processing units, will also see a 10% supply cap.

To ensure proper distribution, the state has deployed teams comprising revenue and police personnel across both public and private gas agencies.

The state government has stated that this measure aims to guarantee timely supply to consumers and to curb any irregularities.

In the past 12 days, officials reported conducting 912 inspections at the district level, while a state-level team has pursued investigations in 17 cases.