Kamal Ghorui
New Delhi: Nearly eight lakh new piped gas consumers have joined the fold over the past month amid a drive by the govt and gas companies to push its use and reduce dependence on cooking gas cylinders, a top official said Sunday.“We have managed quite well, delivering around 50 lakh cylinders consistently, fully meeting domestic demand and up to 80% of commercial demand. There is no reason for anybody to fear shortages,” the official told TOI. Around half the new piped gas connections – to households and for commercial use – have been activated, while the rest are under process.Separately, over 16,000 LPG connections have been surrendered following the govt’s nudge to ensure those with active piped gas connections do not continue to retain cylinders, easing pressure on the system. People wishing to surrender their connections can submit details on the designated portal, which has a ‘hall of fame’ to recognise consumers who have voluntarily given up their connections.Amid concerns over supply shortages and long queues, officials said there was sufficient stock of crude oil, petroleum products and cooking gas, which were being replenished. “We have managed quite well for over a month, and we are tying up supplies and importing from wherever required,” the official said.The Centre has urged people to use alternative such as induction and electric cooktops wherever feasible. Officials said online cylinder bookings have risen to 95%, while authentication code-based deliveries – aimed at preventing diversion at the distributor level – have increased from 53% in Feb to 90% now.To help the migrant population without regular LPG connections, oil companies have sold about 6.6 lakh portable 5kg cylinders since March 23, including 90,000 on Saturday, up from a daily average of 70-75,000 before the war.Govt expects recent moves to improve the flow of raw material to industries facing shortages. From packaging units to pharma, companies were hit hard by supply disruptions due to West Asia conflict.
