Gujarat Govt Asks Dual PNG–LPG Users to Surrender Gas Connections

Gandhinagar | Gujarat — Amid growing public concern over cooking gas availability in Gujarat, the state government has stepped in with a series of urgent measures to stabilise supply and prevent panic among consumers. Officials have clarified that adequate LPG and PNG supplies are available, even as the government strengthens monitoring and introduces temporary restrictions to manage demand effectively.

During a press conference held at the Gandhinagar Assembly Complex, Mona Khandhar, Additional Chief Secretary of the Gujarat Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, assured citizens that the state has sufficient domestic LPG stock and that buffer reserves are continuously increasing.

“There is enough LPG available for citizens across the state, and the supply has been increased by nearly 20 percent compared to normal levels,” Khandhar said. “The state government is in constant coordination with the central government to ensure uninterrupted availability of both LPG and PNG for domestic and commercial users.”

To assist citizens with any queries or complaints related to cooking gas, the government has also activated a state helpline number — 1800-232-0222.

New rules to manage demand

As part of the new measures, the government has prioritised the conversion of LPG users to PNG connections in areas where piped gas infrastructure already exists. Consumers who currently have access to both LPG cylinders and PNG connections have been directed to surrender their LPG connections by Wednesday to prevent duplication of resources.

Officials said that in areas where PNG networks are not yet available, LPG connections will be permitted within a 70 percent supply limit to ensure equitable distribution.

Religious institutions that have been providing food services continuously for more than a year have also been allowed to obtain commercial LPG connections within a 10 percent limit.

Kerosene allocation for rural areas

To ensure that rural households do not face cooking fuel shortages, the government has arranged for additional kerosene distribution across the state.

According to Khandhar, the central government has allocated 1,452 kilolitres (14.52 lakh litres) of kerosene to Gujarat. Under this arrangement, 36,000 litres of kerosene will be distributed in each district, with five litres allocated per family and 25 litres for institutions.

“This supply is being provided as an additional option to LPG to ensure that rural households have access to cooking fuel,” she said.

Strict monitoring of LPG distribution

To prevent irregularities and black marketing, the state government has deployed revenue and police officials to monitor both public and private gas agencies.

In the past 12 days, inspection teams have investigated 912 cases at the district level and 17 cases at the state level to ensure proper distribution.

The government has also issued guidelines advising citizens to maintain a gap of 25 days between cylinder bookings in urban areas and 45 days in rural areas to avoid unnecessary pressure on supply systems.

Authorities have urged residents to adopt energy-saving measures such as using pressure cookers, soaking pulses before cooking and exploring alternative energy sources like solar cookers.

Officials reiterated that petrol, diesel and LPG stocks remain sufficient, urging citizens to avoid panic and cooperate with the temporary regulations introduced to manage demand efficiently.