The war between the US and Iran is now in its fifth week. At present, there is no clear indication of when it will end. On Sunday, US President Donald Trump issued a new threat to Iran, further escalating tensions between them. The tension in the Strait of Hormuz has now ended. This is worsening the oil and gas crisis worldwide. India is also facing a shortage of LPG. The Modi government has increased LPG production and taken several steps to diversify imports and prevent the situation from worsening. Now, the government has found another solution to this situation.

Small 5-kg LPG cylinder
When the situation was bad across the world, there were long queues outside LPG gas agencies, the government made it clear that India has enough stock and hence there is no need for panic buying. Due to this the situation came under control. Now, as a measure to overcome the LPG crisis in India, the government has increased the supply of 5-kg LPG cylinders to meet the demand. Small 5 kg LPG cylinders are being supplied directly to LPG dealers, and their sales are continuously increasing. The Petroleum Ministry said that around 6.6 lakh cylinders have been sold in the country since March 23.

According to a PTI report, unlike the subsidized 14.2 kg domestic cylinder, these 5 kg LPG bottles are called FTL cylinders. They are available at market price and can be purchased from any nearby gas vendor.

How will I get these cylinders?

Most importantly, you don't need to show any proof of address to purchase these small cylinders. All you need is a valid ID and they will be delivered to you. The government has increased the supply of these cylinders to meet the demand for LPG.

Government action against hoarding:
On Saturday morning, the government issued a statement urging people to avoid panic buying of petrol, diesel, and LPG. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said in a statement that the government is taking proactive steps to ensure the availability of petroleum products and cooking gas. Furthermore, action is being taken against hoarding and black marketing of oil and LPG. More than 3,700 raids have been conducted, and nearly 1,000 show-cause notices have been issued to LPG distributors. Furthermore, 36 dealers have been suspended so far.

‘Refineries are operating at full capacity'

The government has clarified that there is adequate supply for domestic and transport purposes, while with the help of incoming LNG cargo, supply to fertilizer factories is expected to increase to around 90 percent of average consumption from April 6.

According to the ministry, all the oil refineries in the country are operating at full capacity and have sufficient stock of crude oil and petrol pumps across the country are fully stocked.

PC: Navarastra