'Avoid panic booking': Karnataka minister Muniyappa says no LPG shortage, commercial supply likely to face strain

Domestic supplies will remain stable, he says and urges consumers not to panic or hoard cylinders

Bengaluru: Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister K H Muniyappa on Wednesday said there is no shortage of domestic LPG cylinders in Karnataka but the supply of commercial cylinders will face disruption.

After a meeting with officials of oil and gas companies, including Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum and GAIL (India) Limited, the Minister said the ongoing conflict in West Asia had disrupted international shipping routes, specifically in the Gulf region.

He, however, clarified that domestic LPG supplies would remain stable and urged consumers not to panic or hoard cylinders.

“Karnataka requires around 1,000 metric tonnes of commercial LPG daily, which is equivalent to about 50,000 commercial cylinders (19 kg). For domestic use, the State needs about 5,000 metric tonnes or nearly 3.5 lakh household cylinders (14.2 kg) daily,” the Minister said, stressing that there was adequate supply of cooking gas for domestic purposes.

Muniyappa noted that India produces only about 30% of its LPG requirement, while the remaining 60–70% is imported. “As per the Centre’s guidelines, one domestic LPG cylinder is supplied per family every 25 days, and households should use cooking gas judiciously. Consumers should avoid panic booking and use gas only when necessary. There is no need to fear,” he said.

The Minister added that domestic consumption would be given priority, while commercial supply may face temporary strain. “We will give priority to essential services such as hospitals, schools and colleges in the distribution of commercial cylinders. Hotels and wedding halls may experience some difficulty, especially if the war continues beyond a week,” he said, adding that a lion’s share of supply comes from the Gulf region.

To closely monitor the situation, the Minister said that the senior officials of the department would hold weekly review meetings with oil companies.

Muniyappa also appealed to the public to cooperate with the government and limit the usage of LPG. He recalled the period of scarcity during the tenure of former Prime Minister late Lal Bahadur Shastri, when citizens collectively adopted austerity measures to overcome goods and electricity shortage.

Emphasising on conservation, the Minister said a 14.2-kg domestic cylinder can last about one-and-a-half months for a family of four if used carefully. He said the department would take all steps to prevent any major disruption in LPG supply and urged consumers not to panic. “We will ensure gas distributors supply LPG to households without delay,” Muniyappa said.