The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas announced that people with piped gas connections will not be allowed to refill LPG cylinders, further notifying that they will have to surrender their domestic LPG connections. The notification comes at a time when natural gas supply has been disrupted by the closure of Strait of Hormuz due to the on-going conflict in West Asia.

“No person having a Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connection and also having domestic LPG connection shall retain a domestic LPG connection, or take refills of domestic LPG cylinders from any Government oil company, or through their distributors. Such persons will be required to immediately surrender their domestic LPG connection,” the Ministry said in the notice.

Government assures there is no fuel shortage

The Ministry reaffirmed that the government is working towards avoiding disruptions and is taking measures to ensure fuel supply to everyone. “We are committed to ensure uninterrupted supply of affordable energy to our domestic consumers. There is no shortage for domestic consumers and no reason to panic,” the ministry had added. 

"60% of our LPG requirement depends on imports. 90% of the LPG imports happen via Gulf for Hormuz. Refineries have been asked to maximise LPG production. Priority has been given to household supply," said Sujata Sharma, joint secretary, ministry of petroleum and natural gas earlier this week. 

On crude oil, Sharma said the government has secured crude oil supplies over and above 53 lakh barrel daily requirement by tapping into alternative destinations for crude oil. "70% crude oil is coming from outside the Gulf of Hormuz compared with 55% earlier," said Sharma. 

"Two crude cargoes are on way to India as we talk. Oil refineries are operating at highest capacity," Sharma added.

How are people addressing the LPG shortage?

On the other hand, households across several Indian cities are turning to electric kitchen appliances such as induction cooktops, electric kettles, etc., triggering a sharp rise in demand.

Retailers and e-commerce platforms say the surge reflects consumers preparing for potential disruptions in LPG availability, prompting many households to adopt plug-in appliances as a backup for everyday cooking. Demand for electric cooking appliances has surged as households look for alternatives amid LPG supply concerns.

 Online grocery platform BigBasket said induction cooktops saw a fivefold jump in demand on March 10 and a 30-fold spike the following day. “In contrast, the rest of the kitchen appliance categories are growing within +10% of their usual business-as-usual growth levels, highlighting that the spike is largely concentrated around induction-based cooking alternatives,” said Seshu Kumar Tirumala, chief buying and merchandising officer at BigBasket. He added that the trend suggests households are turning to electric cooking as a contingency during supply disruptions.

E-commerce platforms are reporting a similar pattern. A Flipkart spokesperson said induction cooktops have quickly shifted from being a lifestyle upgrade to an essential appliance in many homes. “The prevailing global condition has led to the induction cooktop shifting from a ‘kitchen upgrade’ into a ‘survival necessity’ for many households. Sales of induction are trending at 25 times the usual levels over the last two days compared with the preceding three to four weeks,” the spokesperson said, adding that demand has been particularly strong in Delhi, Kolkata and parts of Uttar Pradesh. Retailers say the spillover is visible in adjacent categories as well. “Microwave sales, for instance, doubled compared to last week, while air fryers have maintained a steady run rate with spikes during holidays,” said Shibashish Roy, CEO and managing director of Infiniti Retail (Croma).