The government has provided comprehensive assurance on petroleum product availability amid the US-Israel-Iran war situation. According to reports from Goodreturns, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh stated in the latest Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) meeting that India maintains 60 days of crude oil, 60 days of Natural Gas and 45 days of LPG rolling stock. The country's foreign exchange reserves stand at a comfortable $703 billion, with India being the world's third largest oil refiner and fourth largest exporter of petroleum products, meeting domestic demand in full. The government continues to encourage citizens to book LPG cylinders through online methods while tracking black marketing and hoarding activities.
Online LPG cylinder bookings have shown remarkable growth, reaching 98% on an industry basis, as reported by Goodreturns. Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) based deliveries have increased to around 94% to prevent diversion. Oil marketing companies and the Oil Ministry have confirmed that on successful booking of LPG, an OTP will be generated which is necessary for LPG delivery. Without an OTP, LPG delivery will be unsuccessful, making it a mandatory requirement for all bookings. Recent reports from Goodreturns indicate that the government has implemented DAC-based delivery systems to ensure proper tracking and authentication of LPG cylinders.
The government has introduced new refill gap rules amid various measures to curb the LPG supply crunch in the wake of the West Asia war. According to Goodreturns, customers residing in urban areas can only apply for LPG refills after 25-day gap of the previous purchase, while customers in rural areas can do the process after a 45-day gap. This represents an increase from the earlier 21-day general gap for all category customers, demonstrating the government's enhanced monitoring and supply management approach. The enhanced gap rules reflect the government's proactive approach to managing LPG supply during the current geopolitical situation.
Several common reasons can prevent OTP receipt for LPG deliveries, as detailed by Goodreturns. These include wrong mobile numbers, network problems, active DND services, server downtime, full SIM inboxes, mobile device issues, and spam filters. The government has advised citizens to avoid panic purchase of petroleum products, rely on official sources for information, and use digital booking platforms while encouraging alternative fuels such as PNG and electric cooktops. All citizens are requested to make necessary efforts to conserve energy during the current situation.
Multiple booking options are available for major LPG companies across various platforms. For Indane Gas, customers can use SMS/IVRS booking, missed call booking at 8454955555, WhatsApp booking at 7588888824, and online portal at https://cx.indianoil.in. HP Gas offers IVRS service at 88888 23456, missed call at 94936 02222, WhatsApp booking at 92222 01122, and website at www.myhpgas.in. Bharat Gas provides IVRS booking at 7715012345/7718012345, SMS booking through 'LPG' messages, and WhatsApp booking via BPCL Smartline number 1800224344. The government has also introduced the UMANG app as a unified platform for all gas cylinder bookings.
