Guwahati, March 12: Ravi Kota on March 11 said local refineries currently have the capacity to meet only about 30 per cent of Liquefied Petroleum Gas demand in Assam, prompting the government to step up monitoring of fuel supply in the state.
In a post on X, Kota said the issue was reviewed during a video conference with the Govind Mohan, which was attended by chief secretaries and directors general of police from all states and Union territories to assess the availability of LPG and diesel across the country. He said the state’s four refineries have been requested to increase production to help ensure uninterrupted supply of cooking gas to consumers.
The refineries include three operated by Indian Oil Corporation at Digboi, Guwahati and Bongaigaon, along with another facility run by Numaligarh Refinery Limited at Numaligarh.
To keep a close watch on the situation, the state government has formed a high-powered committee headed by the chief secretary with representatives from relevant departments to review the fuel supply position regularly. Kota also said a dedicated media monitoring committee has been established to track rumours, misinformation and misleading reports that could create panic among consumers. Enforcement agencies have been directed to take strict action against anyone spreading false information or attempting to trigger panic regarding fuel availability.
Meanwhile, Himanta Biswa Sarma said there is no shortage of LPG cylinders in the state. Speaking to reporters, he said the government is closely monitoring the situation in the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Sarma noted that India has arrangements to procure gas from around 40 countries and added that Russia has also begun sending oil and gas supplies to the country. He expressed confidence that there would be no shortage of LPG, recalling how the central government had managed oxygen supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier, Indian Oil Corporation, which supplies nearly 85 per cent of LPG cylinders across the Northeast, said it has sufficient stock to meet regional demand despite concerns arising from the geopolitical situation. A senior IOC official said all nine bottling plants in the Northeast are currently operating at maximum capacity and distributing cylinders in line with government directives.
Officials said the Northeast requires around 1.91 lakh domestic LPG cylinders of 14.2 kg each day, of which approximately 1.34 lakh are consumed in Assam alone. In the commercial segment of 19 kg cylinders, daily demand in the region stands at about 5,777 units, including 4,112 units in Assam.
