New Delhi: The government is stepping up efforts to manage cooking fuel availability and accelerate alternatives as supply disruptions linked to tensions in West Asia ripple through domestic markets. The government has doubled the daily quota of market-priced 5-kg LPG cylinders for migrant workers, while also exploring financial support mechanisms to expand access to electric cooking solutions, reflecting a dual strategy to address immediate shortages and reduce long-term import dependence.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said the increased allocation of 5-kg free trade LPG cylinders is aimed at easing access for migrant labourers who often lack formal domestic connections. These smaller cylinders, sold without the need for address proof, are priced at Rs 549 in Delhi, compared with Rs 913 for the standard 14.2-kg household cylinder. Officials said the revised quota, communicated through an April 6 directive, doubles state-level daily availability based on average supply recorded in early March.
Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the ministry, said sales of these cylinders have risen sharply in recent weeks. Around 77,000 such cylinders were sold in February, with volumes increasing further in early March. Since March 23, about 7.8 lakh 5-kg cylinders have been sold nationwide, including more than 1.06 lakh units on a single day earlier this week.
The government has prioritised LPG and piped natural gas supplies for households and essential services such as hospitals, even as commercial users initially received only 20 per cent of their requirements. This allocation has now been gradually increased to around 70 per cent of pre-crisis levels. Authorities have also conducted over 4,300 enforcement raids to curb hoarding and black marketing.
Sharma urged consumers to avoid panic buying, stating that fuel supplies remain stable and retail outlets are functioning normally. She added that refinery output has been increased and alternative fuels are being promoted, while natural gas supplies for priority segments, including domestic PNG and transport CNG, remain fully protected. Additional allocations have also been made for fertiliser and industrial sectors, alongside efforts to expand city gas distribution networks.
The supply measures come against the backdrop of rising global crude prices and heavy reliance on imports. India, the world’s second-largest LPG importer, meets nearly 65 per cent of its annual demand of 33 million tonnes through imports, with about 90 per cent sourced from West Asia. The concentration of supply has heightened vulnerability to geopolitical disruptions.
Parallel to immediate relief measures, policymakers are accelerating plans to promote electric cooking. State-run Energy Efficiency Services Ltd is considering introducing interest subsidies to make induction cooktops more affordable for economically weaker households under its National Efficient Cooking Programme. Officials familiar with the discussions said the proposal involves tying up with multilateral institutions such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank to enable zero-interest loans. Under the model being explored, consumers purchasing cookstoves on instalments would pay only the principal, while interest costs would be covered by financial partners. However, a World Bank spokesperson clarified that it is not currently financing the programme or any such subsidy mechanism, though it is engaged in broader consultations on clean cooking initiatives.
Demand for electric cooktops has surged since the onset of the crisis. E-commerce data indicates that sales of induction stoves jumped 30 times within two days in mid-March. Prices have also risen modestly, with entry-level models increasing by around Rs 100 from a base of Rs 1,800, while premium models saw sharper hikes.
To meet rising demand, EESL is scaling up procurement. A tender for 100,000 units has recently closed, and two additional tenders covering 500,000 units are planned. As of March 25, the agency had an order book of 69,872 units, of which 16,526 had been deployed. A separate tender for 200,000 units is currently under process.
The National Efficient Cooking Programme initially targeted deployment of one million induction cookstoves by FY27, later revised to 500,000 units due to limited demand. Officials now indicate that targets may be revisited in light of renewed interest.