Joint Secretary for the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Sujata Sharma, stated that India is the fourth largest refiner in the world, which provides the country with assurance regarding the availability of products like petrol and diesel. Addressing the Inter-Ministerial briefing on recent developments in West Asia in New Delhi today, she said that India's LPG production has increased by 28 per cent, following several government measures aimed at boosting domestic supply for household consumers.
She stated that the country imports almost 60 per cent of LPG, and most of it comes from the Strait of Hormuz. She said that the government is making every effort to ensure that domestic consumers have a reliable supply. She emphasized that almost one lakh retail outlets are currently operating in the country, and the majority of these are with public sector oil marketing companies. Ms. Sharma stated that almost 50 lakh cylinders are delivered on a daily basis, and there have been no reports of shortages at any of these outlets.
Speaking about the steps the government is taking to ensure LPG supply to households, Ms. Sharma said that the government is taking action on all fronts, and as far as supply is concerned, the government is making efforts to increase domestic LPG production. She said that alternative fuel options are also being explored to ease the pressure on LPG and gas channels. She said that on a quarterly basis, the government allocates kerosene to the states, and every quarter, it allocates almost 1 lakh kilolitres. She said that as of today, the order has been released, and another 48 thousand kilolitres of kerosene will be allocated to the state governments.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that missions in the Gulf Cooperation Council are in constant contact with Indian nationals and are assisting with commercial flight options. He said that India has 9,000 nationals in Iran, and the Indian Embassy in Tehran is helping those who wish to leave Iran with alternative options.
Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, said that there have been maritime incidents involving Indian crew on foreign-flagged vessels. He informed that there were 78 Indian seafarers on board these vessels, of whom 70 are unharmed and have escaped. He said that unfortunately, three casualties have been reported, and one seafarer is missing.
Mr. Sinha further said that the government is closely monitoring the prevailing maritime situation in the Persian Gulf region and has strengthened monitoring and preparedness measures in view of the situation there. The government is fully committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of Indian seafarers and protecting India's maritime interests.
Joint Secretary for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Senthil Rajan, stated that States and Union Territories have been advised to take strict measures against hoarding of essential commodities and ensure uninterrupted availability of essential supplies. He appealed to social media users not to spread misinformation and rumors, and to post only credible and verified content. Mr. Rajan appealed to all citizens that there should not be any panic booking of cylinders, and all steps are being taken to ensure that an uninterrupted supply is maintained.
