Kamal Ghorui
LPG crisis for factories across the country seems to be easing as the government steps up availability of commercial liquefied petroleum gas. Production disruptions are gradually subsiding as supplies of commercial LPG improve and migrant workers return to factories, supported by companies providing meals or alternative cooking solutions.This improvement follows the government’s move on Friday to raise the allocation of commercial LPG by an additional 20 percentage points, taking it to 70 per cent of pre-disruption levels that had been affected by the Gulf conflict and Iran’s near blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.The Centre has designated sectors such as steel, automobiles, textiles, dyes, chemicals and plastics as priorities, given their labour-intensive operations and strong interlinkages with other industries, according to an ET report.Companies operating in these sectors have started to see operations gradually stabilise.Liquefied petroleum gas is extensively used across industries such as automobiles and electronics, particularly in processes like brazing and paint shop operations, as well as in segments like food processing.
Availability of Commercial LPG supplies
Industry players indicated that LPG availability has become more stable.“Earlier we had visibility of one-two days; now it’s about a week,” said Kamal Nandi, head of the appliances business at Godrej Enterprises. “There are no issues with labour or raw materials, and production is running at full throttle,” he was quoted as saying.An executive from the automobile sector noted that supply constraints at smaller vendors are easing, while larger manufacturers have managed to limit disruptions by adopting alternative fuel options.“The higher allocation for non-domestic LPG and inclusion of automobiles as a priority sector is a big help,” he said.Mayank Shah, vice president at Parle Products, said improved LPG availability is enabling previously impacted plants to move back towards optimal production levels. He added that companies have urged the government to include packaged foods among the priority sectors.Ajay DD Singhania, chief executive of Epack Durable, noted that supplies have recovered to nearly 60 per cent of normal levels and are likely to rise to around 80 per cent this week. “The new normal is that we have to follow up daily to secure LPG supplies, but availability has improved,” Singhania said. “Workforce retention is no longer a challenge with us offering meals or cooking support. However, production losses over the past three-four weeks are not recoverable.”Attendance levels have also improved as several firms introduced canteen meals, reducing reliance on LPG for cooking. Earlier, supply disruptions had led to absenteeism among migrant workers and a temporary outflow, as higher black market prices and the shutdown of small eateries and mess facilities made food access difficult.A senior executive in the auto components sector said companies are now providing meals across shifts or offering incentives of up to Rs 5,000 to offset higher LPG costs and retain workers. “Attendance has returned to normal,” he said.Avneet Singh Marwah, chief executive of Super Plastronics, said the migrant workforce has returned as supply pressures have eased. The company produces televisions under the Kodak, Thomson and Blaupunkt brands.
