Govt makes commercial LPG cylinders must for weddings

Jaipur: Rajasthan govt has made it mandatory for PSU oil companies to supply commercial LPG cylinders for wedding ceremonies to ease pressure on domestic gas availability during the peak marriage season.Under the directive, families will have to apply through district supply officers (DSOs) to obtain cylinders for weddings. At a review meeting on Tuesday, food and civil supplies minister Sumit Godara instructed oil firms to ensure at least two 19kg commercial cylinders for rural ceremonies and three for urban events. "We have allotted three 19kg cylinders for urban areas. It means around 57kg and equivalent to almost four domestic cylinders. Considering the number of marriage days available in the next two to three months, the PSUs can easily make the supplies available," Godara said. The move comes amid an ongoing domestic LPG supply strain, with authorities attempting to balance household demand and seasonal spikes driven by wedding-related consumption. The policy is aimed at ensuring that domestic cylinder supplies are not diverted for large-scale use during ceremonies. Officials from PSU oil companies said they are awaiting formal written directions but indicated that supply is unlikely to be a major concern. "However, as per the initial discussion we don't think there won't be any problem with the supply even in the present crisis situation," said a senior official from Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL). During the meeting, Godara also directed officials to expedite expansion of piped natural gas (PNG) infrastructure, including new pipelines and connections.