Gas relief: Industries to get 70% supply; migrants remain unaware of 5-kg cylinders

Bengaluru: In a bid to ease fuel supply for industry, the Union ministry of petroleum and natural gas announced Wednesday that industrial units will now receive 70% of their LPG requirements. The directive spans a wide array of sectors—from pharmaceuticals and food processing to polymers, agriculture, and packaging.It also extends to industries such as paint, uranium, heavy water, steel, seeds, metals, ceramics, foundries, forging, glass, and aerosol manufacturing. The step is seen as an effort to ensure smoother operations for businesses that rely heavily on LPG, helping them maintain production without disruption. According to the ministry's circular, the units can now obtain 70% of their pre-March 2026 bulk non-domestic LPG consumption level, subject to an overall sectoral limit of 0.2 TMT per day. The ministry has stated that priority would be given to industrial units that require LPG for specialised purposed which cannot be substituted by natural gas.Supply of 5kg doubled, but doubts persistOn Monday, the ministry announced a plan to double the supply of 5-kg LPG cylinders, aiming to ensure access for migrant labourers across the country. These cylinders, classified as Free Trade LPG (FTL), can be purchased from LPG distribution agencies, as well as selected petrol pumps and retailers, on producing any govt-issued identity card.However, distributors say they are still waiting for clear guidelines on preventing misuse or indiscriminate buying of the smaller cylinders.Under the scheme, an Indane FTL cylinder costs Rs 1,505, with subsequent refills priced at Rs 630 each. For HP FTL cylinders, the cost is Rs 1,519, with refills at Rs 631. Awareness on availability"Though FTL was available previously, it was not well publicised. Migrant workers were unaware of how to get a cylinder. They hesitated as a connection would require an Aadhaar card and other documents, which they might not have. Making FTLs known to them also curbs illegal refills which are sold at higher prices," LG Kumar, secretary of the Karnataka circle of All India LPG Distributors Federation, said, adding that each distributor is getting around 50 FTLs per day from companies."Most migrant workers are unaware of FTLs. Our delivery personnel are spreading awareness of this at railway stations, bus stands, labourers' settlements and other areas," Kumar added.During a video conference with DGMs of oil companies and secretaries of the ministry Wednesday, distributors were asked to issue cylinders when the customer produces any govt ID card. However, distributors are unsure how they can authenticate whether the customers are migrant workers or are in genuine need of the cylinder.