Kerosene: As the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to impact global energy supplies, the central government has come up with a temporary solution to alleviate the pressure on cooking fuel availability in the country. Under a 60-day emergency plan announced on Monday, states and union territories will receive extra kerosene for essential household needs, including cooking and lighting.
This decision also marks the temporary reintroduction of kerosene in 21 regions where it had previously been phased out or where the PDS had been declared SKO-free. The aim of this initiative is to ensure that households experiencing LPG shortages still have access to a fundamental energy source.
Kerosene will also be available at fuel stations
To support this, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has authorized selected fuel stations in kerosene-free areas to stock and sell Superior Kerosene Oil (SKO) for domestic purposes. According to the notification, a maximum of two fuel stations per district—preferably those operated by public sector oil companies—will be permitted to stock up to 5,000 liters of kerosene. To speed up this process, some licensing requirements for dealers and transporters have been eased, although safety and monitoring regulations remain intact.
48,000 kilolitres of additional kerosene approved
The ministry clarified that this regulation applies solely to kerosene intended for cooking and lighting in homes. This decision was made after the government sanctioned an additional 48,000 kilolitres of kerosene beyond the quotas established for all states and union territories. Local administrations have been instructed to identify locations for kerosene distribution at the district level. Previously, 17 states and union territories had received directives to distribute SKO, while Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh indicated that they did not require such a quota. These include regions like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan.
6000 people surrendered their LPG connections
Amidst all this, some consumers have begun to abandon LPG and turn to other alternatives. As of Saturday, 6,000 piped natural gas (PNG) users had returned their LPG connections. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, wrote on X that as of yesterday, 6,000 PNG users had returned their LPG connections! A big thank you to them!!
In terms of supply management, the government has prioritized domestic and transport needs, ensuring full quotas for the PNG and CNG sectors. Currently, industrial and commercial users are receiving approximately 80% of their average consumption, while fertilizer plants are operating at 70% to 75% capacity. According to a government statement, additional LNG cargoes are also being arranged as part of efforts to ensure fuel and gas supplies.
