LPG bookings fall to 77 lakh; no fuel shortages, online bookings rise after govt campaign

NEW DELHI: (Mar 15) LPG refill bookings have declined to about 77 lakh from 88.8 lakh earlier, indicating some easing of panic buying, even as the government said there is no shortage of petrol, diesel or cooking gas, and supplies remain stable despite the West Asia conflict.

In a daily update on the impact of the West Asia situation, the government said the share of online LPG bookings has risen to about 87 per cent from 84 per cent, attributing the increase to a campaign by oil marketing companies promoting digital booking and discouraging people from queuing up at LPG dealerships for panic purchases.

All domestic "refineries are operating at high capacity and maintaining adequate crude oil inventories," the update said. "The country remains self-sufficient in the production of petrol and diesel, requiring no imports of the fuels to meet domestic demand."