As the cooking gas crisis deepens because of short supply of LPG cylinders amid West Asia conflict, the government has allowed selected public sector fuel stations to store and distribute kerosene in states and Union Territories that had previously been declared kerosene-free. Under the new provisions, a maximum of two designated petrol pumps per district—preferably Company Owned Company Operated (COCO) outlets of public sector oil marketing companies—will be permitted to store up to 5,000 litres of kerosene.
Moreover, kerosene dealers and agents have been exempted from obtaining licences under FORM XVIII for decanting fuel at these designated service stations. Similarly, tank vehicles transporting petroleum products under FORM XIX have also been granted exemption from additional licensing requirements for unloading kerosene.
As per the notification, the distribution is restricted solely to household use for cooking and lighting, with a cap of 5,000 litres per outlet. Authorities have mandated adherence to all safety norms and operational guidelines, along with compulsory record-keeping for storage, decantation, and distribution. These records will be subject to inspection by district authorities and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation.
The government has clarified that the measure is temporary and will remain in force for 60 days or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Due to the ongoing war in West Asia, vessel movement has reduced at the major chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz. India imports around 60% of its LPG requirement, and nearly 90% of these imports pass through this route. To ensure there is no impact on the 33 crore households currently using LPG cylinders for cooking, the government has diverted commercial and industrial LPG supplies to domestic users.
Moreover, the ministry has urged people to adopt PNG connections wherever feasible. The government has also introduced a new rule mandating time-bound clearance of installation applications, along with stopping LPG cylinder supply to households or colonies where PNG infrastructure is already in place, along with a shift to alternative fuels such as kerosene and coal for both commercial and domestic users.