New Delhi, April 15 (NationPress) The average daily sales of auto LPG by public sector oil companies have surged to 282 metric tonnes (MT) in April, a significant increase from 177 MT per day observed in February. This boost in sales comes as the supply to both the transport and domestic sectors remains stable, as reported by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Since March 14, a total of 1,34,226 metric tonnes of commercial LPG has been distributed, which includes over 8,000 MT specifically allocated for auto LPG.

Additionally, over 14.6 lakh 5-kg free trade LPG cylinders, primarily utilized by migrant workers, have been sold since March 23.

A dedicated three-member committee of Executive Directors from IOCL, HPCL, and BPCL is actively collaborating with state authorities and industry representatives to facilitate the distribution of commercial LPG.

Since March 2026, approximately 4.5 lakh PNG connections have been activated, with around 5 lakh new customers also registering for connections. Notably, more than 34,200 PNG users have opted to relinquish their LPG connections via MYPNGD.in, as the government encourages a transition to natural gas amid disruptions in LPG imports due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

Efforts to combat hoarding and black marketing of LPG are ongoing, with over 2,100 raids conducted recently, resulting in the seizure of around 450 cylinders nationwide on Tuesday. Public sector oil marketing companies have intensified surprise inspections, leading to penalties on 237 LPG distributorships and a suspension of 58 such entities.

Despite geopolitical challenges, the government remains committed to ensuring the supply of domestic LPG and PNG, particularly for critical sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions.

Citizens are urged to refrain from panic buying of fuels, including petrol, diesel, and LPG, and to consult only official channels for updates. LPG consumers are encouraged to utilize digital platforms for bookings and limit in-person visits to distributors.

All refineries are operating at full capacity, with sufficient crude stocks available. The nation is also maintaining adequate reserves of petrol and diesel. To bolster domestic consumption, the production of LPG from refineries has been enhanced, according to the government’s statement.

The government has also declared that the commercial LPG limit will rise to 70 percent of the pre-March 2026 bulk consumption level, which will be applicable to industrial sectors including pharma, food, polymer, agriculture, packaging, paint, uranium, heavy water, steel, seed, metal, ceramic, foundry, forging, glass, and aerosol.