Centre ensuring steady flow of cooking gas during turbulent times: Nirmala Sitharaman

Responding to a debate on the Appropriations Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the Government has ensured stable availability of cooking gas even in turbulent times. He said that domestic LPG production has also been increased against all kinds of situations.

The minister stated that the country has sufficient stocks of fertilizers for Kharif crops and global tenders for nutrient supply for the next Rabi season will begin soon. “The West Asian crisis has presented a new challenge and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on self-reliance and increasing production to meet India’s basic demands has helped the country,” he said.

“Overwhelmingly, 90% of the 65% LPG imports come through the Strait of Hormuz. As a result, there was speculation about whether we would get it or not. There are enough reports on how we are ensuring a steady flow during these turbulent times,” she said adding that the country has been building up its LPG capacities and even “at this time the way we have ramped up domestic capacity in LPG, is also coming of help”.

He said the center directs oil refineries and petrochemical complexes to maximize LPG production by diverting propane, butane, propylene and butane flows to the LPG pool. “As a result, we are increasing LPG supply capacities domestically as well and domestic LPG production is increasing by about 25%,” Ms. Sitharaman said, adding that the entire production of this increased capacity goes to domestic consumers.

“To ensure that people do not face inconvenience, not only regular shipping lines are coming in but we have also increased the LPG production capacity domestically, moving towards LPG production from other hydrocarbon materials. As a result, domestic supplies will be sufficiently facilitated and supplies will remain stable,” Ms. Sitharaman said.