Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, on Friday assured that the panic regarding the energy crisis won’t impact the policy decision of the government, and that all possible measures will be taken to shield the country from the global shock.
Discarding claims that the energy price will go up in the near future, as Assembly polls in several states are over, the minister stressed that it had nothing to do with elections.
During his address at the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference in Surat on Friday, Puri said, "India has not allowed Indian kitchens to run short. We have not revised retail, petrol and diesel prices. We have not allowed panic to become policy."
Speaking on the speculations around fuel availability and increase in prices, Puri emphasised that India’s energy strategy continues to prioritize stability and consumer welfare, underscoring the government’s commitment to ensuring uninterrupted access to essential fuels.
"As far as the government and our commitment to consumers is concerned, there has been a zero increase - not only in the last 60 days, but also over the last four years. Many of our colleagues say that we have kept prices under control because we have an election. We have had many elections in the last four years. If the time comes, the government will take the necessary decisions, but the PM's commitment to the 33 crore households getting piped gas remains paramount," he said.
At a time when global energy markets remain volatile due to geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions, the minister reiterated that domestic decisions of India are guided by long-term policy frameworks rather than short-term anxieties.
He also highlighted India's diversification of its LPG sourcing beyond the West Asia region and imports from the United States, Norway and Algeria.
He said the government acted swiftly to strengthen supply chains while also directing refineries to maximise LPG output. He noted domestic production has increased by 60% --from 36,000 metric tonnes per day to 54,000 metric tonnes per day-- against a total daily consumption of around 90,000 metric tonnes.
