BENGALURU: Fuel supply in Karnataka remains stable despite developments in West Asia, and the public need not panic about the availability of LPG cylinders. Citizens have been urged to procure 5 kg cylinders instead of turning to the black market. This was stated during a press conference held by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) Bengaluru along with Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) on Thursday.
Siddhartha Agarwal, Executive Director of Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) and nodal officer for Karnataka oil marketing companies, stated that the state has a refinery with a crude oil processing capacity of 15 MMTPA (million metric tonnes per annum).
There is no shortage of petrol or diesel. Due to panic buying, demand in March had surged to 3.75 lakh cylinders per day. However, the situation is now stable, and booking levels have dropped to 3.06 lakh per day. Regarding commercial LPG supply, he said priority is being given to essential services such as hospitals, educational institutions, and transport.
Agarwal said, “It is useful for economically weaker sections and migrant populations to use 5 kg cylinders. Their price ranges between Rs 550 and 600.” He further added that the state government, along with oil companies, conducted more than 3,700 inspections. As a result, 35 FIRs have been filed and 37 people have been arrested for excess hoarding and black marketing.
Sanjay Kumar Singh, General Manager of GAIL, stated that consumers should be encouraged to switch to Piped Natural Gas, as it is more cost-effective and convenient. He informed that 5.01 lakh PNG connections have been provided since the start of the crisis.
SG Ravindra, Additional Director General of PIB Bengaluru, and other officials was present.
Auto LPG supply gets a push
Amid panic among auto rickshaw drivers, OMCs are making efforts to increase Auto LPG capacity. The state currently has 67 public sector Auto LPG dispensing stations, along with over 300 private players operating in the sector. The OMCs currently hold only about 20% of the market share in Karnataka. Despite this limited presence and constraints in distribution infrastructure, oil companies are making every effort beyond their existing capacity to meet the increased demand.