LPG Refill Booking Interval Cut to 25 Days as Supply Pressures Ease

Union Minister Suresh Gopi has announced a revision of the LPG refill booking interval in rural areas to 25 days, down from 45 days. This decision comes as the central government has relaxed the restriction on LPG supply following an improvement in the current situation and a significant reduction in the refill backlog.

The minister shared a copy of the letter issued by the Petroleum Ministry to oil marketing companies (OMCs) to implement the change immediately. The move aims to provide uniformity in the LPG refill booking interval for both urban and rural areas, which was previously set at 25 days due to pressure on liquefied petroleum gas supply following the Middle East conflict.

LPG sales have been declining since the onset of the West Asia crisis, which disrupted supplies and led to consumption restrictions. Industry officials noted that some volumes have shifted to piped natural gas since the crisis, contributing to the decline in LPG demand. The commercial LPG rate has also risen by Rs 9.50 per 19-kg cylinder due to an increase in international benchmarks.