Varanasi/Lucknow: Union petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday said India successfully averted any shortage of crude oil, LPG and pipeline natural gas despite two major global conflicts disrupting international energy markets over the past four years.Addressing media persons after attending a DISHA committee meeting in Varanasi, Puri said the ongoing conflict in West Asia and the earlier Russia-Ukraine war posed unprecedented challenges for global fuel supply chains, but India managed to maintain uninterrupted availability of petroleum products across the country.“Today, the war in West Asia is nearing 80 days. Earlier, the Russia-Ukraine war began in Feb 2022. These are two major wars within four years, and both created massive disruptions in the global energy sector,” Puri said.Despite geopolitical crises, he said, India ensured that there was “not a single shortage” of crude oil, LPG or pipeline natural gas anywhere in the country.The minister credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking timely decisions to stabilise the energy sector during volatile global conditions.He said the govt continued to shield consumers despite mounting financial pressure on oil marketing companies (OMCs).Puri said OMCs were currently facing losses of nearly Rs 1,000 crore per day due to under-recoveries, yet the govt continued efforts to keep LPG affordable for common households.Referring to concerns over LPG price rise, he said the increase translated into a minimal burden on consumers.“If one family uses one cylinder in three months, the increase roughly comes to around Rs 1-2 per day,” he said, while acknowledging that even such increases should ideally be avoided.Puri also stressed the govt’s push to expand piped natural gas (PNG) connections across Varanasi and other cities to reduce dependence on LPG cylinders. He said the govt was encouraging faster conversion of domestic LPG consumers to pipeline gas connections through GAIL.Puri said Varanasi was currently adding nearly 800 effective pipeline gas connections every day, including around 400 households that shifted from LPG usage. He described pipeline gas as more efficient, economical and convenient for consumers.Highlighting institutional usage, the minister said several large kitchens serving food to nearly 60,000-70,000 children daily switched from commercial LPG cylinders to pipeline gas. In one such case, a kitchen that earlier consumed nearly 6,000 commercial cylinders every month now fully transitioned to PNG.“We want this pace to increase further. Instead of 800 connections daily, we want the number to double or triple in Varanasi,” he said, adding that the govt aims to convert nearly 50,000 LPG connections to pipeline gas every day across the country in the future.Puri also warned against hoarding and black marketing of LPG cylinders during isolated instances of panic buying, saying strict action was taken against several distributors involved in irregularities.The minister said there was no shortage of petrol, diesel, LPG or natural gas in Varanasi or elsewhere in the country.Puri also reviewed the implementation of central govt schemes under the DISHA committee meeting chaired by district authorities. He said the meeting reviewed a 120-page status report on various development projects and discussed pending issues raised by MPs/MLAs.Praising Uttar Pradesh’s infrastructure growth under chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Puri referred to major projects, including the ropeway system and international-standard cricket stadiums, coming up in the state. “Development work is taking place at full speed in Uttar Pradesh,” he said.
