HYDERABAD: Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy has urged Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to increase the availability of auto LPG at outlets run by public sector companies such as IOCL, HPCL and BPCL. He also sought directions to these companies to supply LPG to private distributors.
In a letter on Tuesday, Uttam said the ongoing conflict in West Asia has disrupted LPG supplies, severely affecting Telangana, where nearly 1 lakh auto-rickshaw drivers depend on auto LPG. He highlighted a price disparity, noting that public sector outlets sell auto LPG at Rs 75 per litre, while private firms charge Rs 93. He urged regulatory steps to prevent arbitrary price hikes.
Disparity in pricing
With about 80% of outlets operated by private players and only 20% by public sector companies, the state faces a daily shortfall of around 55 metric tonnes. “Most private outlets are running dry, disrupting public transport and causing inconvenience,” the state minister said.