Jaipur, March 11 – The disruption in the supply of commercial LPG cylinders due to the West Asia crisis is beginning to affect businesses across Rajasthan. Hotels, restaurants, factories, wedding caterers, and tourism establishments are facing difficulties in their daily operations.
While Congress leaders criticized the BJP government over this issue, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma stated that domestic gas supply remains uninterrupted in the state.
"The chief minister has directed officials to continuously monitor the supply and stock of domestic LPG cylinders and ensure timely information is provided to the public," an official said.
Customers are rushing to gas agencies to secure cylinders. There are no new bookings for commercial cylinders, which is impacting various industries.
Industry representatives say the crisis has created uncertainty for sectors that rely heavily on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Restaurant owners say the shortage is already affecting kitchen operations, and expenses on weddings are also expected to increase due to the gas shortage.
An industry insider estimates that nearly four lakh weddings are held in Rajasthan annually, with approximately 30,000 expected in April alone. Due to the shortage, the cost of a wedding could rise by Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000.
Restaurant operator Pradeep Singh in Jaipur says running a restaurant has become difficult. He states that they have to pay rent, salaries, and other expenses, but without gas, they cannot cook. Dishes like dal fry and other items require continuous gas use.
According to the Jaipur Catering Dealers Committee, the city has around 6,000 to 7,000 restaurants and dhabas that depend on commercial LPG cylinders. Additionally, several hostel kitchens, mess facilities, and highway eateries also use commercial cylinders for daily cooking.
Some eatery operators are considering switching to coal furnaces, diesel burners, and electric induction cooktops due to supply uncertainty.
A Jaipur-based caterer says they also handle catering orders where large quantities of food are prepared. They are considering switching to coal furnaces as they may have to rely on them.
Another restaurant owner says they will only have cylinders for a day or two. After that, they will need to replace existing burners with small tandoors or coal-based setups.
The wedding industry is also concerned as the disruption occurs during the peak wedding season. Ravi Jindal, president of the Rajasthan Tent Dealers Association, says the shortage could increase wedding expenses.
"The current wedding season continues until March 15 and will resume again after a month's gap. Because of the LPG shortage, the cost of a wedding could rise by Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000," he said.
Nearly four lakh weddings are held in Rajasthan annually, and approximately 30,000 are expected in April alone, Jindal said.
Manufacturing units are also feeling the pressure, as many factories use LPG for welding, cutting, and heating. Harmeet Singh, president of the Alwar Trade Federation, says, "Factories depend on gas for welding and cutting work. If gas is not available, production will stop."
"If the international conflict continues and supplies remain affected, the situation for businesses could become serious," Singh added.
Export-oriented industries are also facing difficulties. Rahul Gupta, a representative of the Alwar Auto Component Manufacturing Society, says container freight has increased, and availability has reduced.
"We export to Brazil, the US, and Turkey. If manufacturing slows down due to gas shortages, finished goods will remain stuck, and exporters will have to bear losses," he said.
Food processing businesses say demand from some West Asian markets has weakened due to the conflict.
Shashank, associated with the sector, says turmeric exports to Iraq, Iran, and other countries in the region may be affected.
"The export season has started, but demand is almost zero from some markets because of the conflict. Traders have already stocked the produce. If exports do not take place, prices may fall, and heavy losses will be incurred," he said.
In Jaipur's Govindgarh industrial area, production at a crockery manufacturing unit of Borosil has allegedly stopped due to a disruption in LPG supply. Several women workers gathered outside the factory and alleged that the factory management had asked them not to come to work.
Tourism sector stakeholders are also closely monitoring the situation. In destinations like Jaipur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, and Jodhpur, where hotels and restaurants serve a large number of visitors, the limited supply of commercial cylinders has raised concerns among business owners.
Restaurant operator Amit Bhatia in Jaisalmer says hotels and restaurants here depend completely on commercial LPG cylinders. If the supply remains low, it will become difficult to serve tourists properly.
Hotel owner Rajesh Agrawal in Udaipur says if restaurants shut and tourists cannot find food, tourism will also suffer.
He says the crisis will not only affect one industry. "If businesses slow down, money circulation in the market will drop, and the wider economy will feel the impact," Agrawal said.
Meanwhile, Congress leaders have expressed concern over the LPG crisis.
"The deepening crisis over the supply of cooking gas (LPG) in the country due to the war in Gulf nations is extremely worrying. It is unfortunate that the Modi government, as always, remains careless and insensitive even regarding this potential national crisis," former chief minister Ashok Gehlot said.
The Centre’s inability to timely assess the situation is a clear "collective failure," Gehlot said, while appealing to the people to use LPG and petrol-diesel responsibly in the current circumstances.
Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan assembly, Tikaram Jully, said the shortage of commercial cylinders and rising prices are affecting small traders and common people across the state.
"The increase of Rs 60 in the price of domestic LPG cylinders has already burdened households, while disruption in the supply of commercial cylinders is creating difficulties for businesses," he said.
He also alleged that the situation has led to instances of black marketing of LPG cylinders in some places.
Taking a swipe at the state government, Jully said, "The state government must act to provide relief to people rather than waiting for directions from Delhi."
He said that the former Congress government in the state had provided LPG cylinders at subsidised rates through relief measures.