New Delhi, June 1 — The price of commercial LPG cylinders has been increased from Sunday, with a 19-kg cylinder becoming costlier by Rs 42 in Delhi, while domestic cooking gas prices remain unchanged.
According to official sources, the revised rates have pushed the price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder in Delhi to Rs 3,113.50 with effect from June 1.
“Prices of 19 kg commercial cylinders have been increased by Rs 42 in Delhi, bringing the price to Rs 3,113.50, and by Rs 53.50 in Kolkata, bringing the price to Rs 3,255.50,” sources said.
The price of a 5-kg Free Trade LPG (FTL) cylinder has also been raised by Rs 11 and will now cost Rs 821.50 in Delhi.
“The new prices will be effective from June 1. There is no change in domestic cylinder prices,” sources added.
The revision comes amid the government's efforts to strengthen fuel security and maintain adequate reserves of petroleum products and cooking gas.
Speaking during an inter-ministerial briefing on Friday, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said authorities are working to ensure sufficient strategic reserves and uninterrupted fuel availability across the country.
“Regarding strategic reserves, we are working on the strategic reserves also. And we have asked the oil marketing companies to work out that the LPG reserve that should be minimum 30 days with them and they are working on it. And similarly, for crude also, we are working,” Sharma said.
She maintained that there is no shortage of fuel products in the country.
“We have sufficient stock of petrol, diesel and LPG, natural gas and fuel inventories are tied up. All our refineries are operating at optimum level and LPG production is all time high, almost 90 DMT per day. No dry out has been reported on LPG distributorship,” Sharma said.
The official, however, noted unusual sales patterns in some regions.
“But it is being seen on retail outlets that there is abnormal sale at many places. Some are due to agricultural demand and some are due to bulk sale,” she said.
According to the ministry, overall fuel sales have registered growth of more than 30 per cent. Fourteen districts reported an increase of over 100 per cent in petrol sales, while six districts witnessed a 38 per cent decline in sales by oil marketing companies.
To prevent diversion and hoarding, enforcement action has been intensified across the country.
“In the last four days, there have been 6,500 raids on LPG. Five FIRs have been registered and two people have been arrested,” Sharma said.
She added that inspections at fuel retail outlets resulted in the seizure of 417 litres of petrol and 75,715 litres of diesel over the past two days. Authorities registered 12 FIRs and made 15 arrests during the drive.
On LPG availability, Sharma said domestic refineries are currently producing between 50 and 52 thousand metric tonnes per day against a demand of around 72 thousand metric tonnes.
“Right now, the demand is something around 72 TMT and then we are producing 50 to 52 TMT in-house in our domestic refineries,” she said, adding that the LPG backlog has declined to 4.5 days.