Priyanka Gandhi calls for Parliament debate on LPG crisis, blames Centre

Priyanka Gandhi has demanded a Parliament debate on the LPG supply crisis and price hike, blaming the Centre's policies. Amid shortages linked to the West Asia conflict, the government has invoked the Essential Commodities Act to manage distribution.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday called for a discussion in Parliament on the ongoing Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) supply disruption, saying that the public cannot tolerate the pressures of inflation, unemployment and the recent price hike on the cylinders for too long.

Saying that a debate in Parliament would allow for important public issues to be raised, the Congress leader blamed the schemes and policies of the Centre for making the crisis worse for the people. "How much will the public tolerate? The prices have only risen, unemployment is up, look at the LPG situation, just because of their policies and schemes. If a discussion could have happened in the Parliament, it would have been good, at the very least could have raised issues of public importance."

Political Backlash Over Price Hike

Amid the West Asia conflict, the Centre had recently announced a price hike of Rs 60 for cooking LPG cylinders. Following the hike, the non-subsidised prices of LPG cylinders stand at Rs 913 in Delhi, Rs 939 in Kolkata, Rs 912 in Mumbai, and Rs 928 in Chennai. The difference in prices across state comes from the applicable taxes levied by state government.

Multiple MPs have called for a discussion on the recent price hike of LPG cylinders, with Communist Party of India (CPI) MP P Sandosh Kumar submitting a suspension of business notice in Rajya Sabha today to discuss the reported shortage of cylinders across the country amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia. The MPs flagged the longer waiting period and price hike for LPG cylinders, saying that the shortage had created "immense hardship" for the citizens.

Government Response to Supply Disruption

The shortage of LPG has emerged amid global energy supply disruptions triggered by the ongoing conflict in West Asia. In response, the Union government has invoked the Essential Commodities Act to prioritise domestic LPG supply, reserving higher allocations for households, hospitals, and essential services while restricting commercial distribution in several regions.

New Measures for LPG Distribution

The government has mandated a new 25-day inter-booking period for domestic LPG refills. The Petroleum Ministry stated that the invocation of the Act has established a clear priority list for natural gas distribution to manage current supply constraints. Under this new mandate, there is a 100 per cent assured supply of domestic piped gas for homes and CNG for vehicles. Other sectors will face calibrated supply caps based on their previous six-month average consumption.

These measures come as India, which typically sources 30 per cent of its natural gas via the Strait of Hormuz, navigates the logistical challenges posed by the regional conflict. (ANI)

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