West Asia conflict: Rajnath-led govt reviews LPG supply, says boosting supply of essential goods

New Delhi: Informal Group of Ministers (iGoM) led by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh All departments were directed on Wednesday to continue focusing on preparedness, coordination and resilience building to be ready for any eventuality arising from the conflict in West Asia.In a post on X, Rajnath said the government is ensuring continuous supply of LPG, petrol and diesel, fertilizers to farmers and promoting supply of essential commodities in the country.iGoM has learned that India has ensured that “more ships have been evacuated from the Strait of Hormuz in the last 40 days than any other country”. Eight LPG ships successfully passed through the strait, carrying about 340TM, equivalent to about 11 days of India’s import needs, strengthening the country’s energy security and supply stability.Ministers and senior government officials were informed of the measures being taken to address the issue, including doubling the supply of 5kg free trade LPG cylinders beyond the 20% allocation earmarked for priority areas to support vulnerable communities including migrant workers.“Petroleum PSU retail pump outlets continue to distribute automotive LPG to meet public transport demand. However, due to procurement challenges by private operators, they are facing some supply constraints, resulting in increased footfall at PSU retail outlets,” an official statement said.iGoM was also informed of the drop in energy prices following the ceasefire. Ministers were informed that key sectoral parameters will continue to be closely monitored and appropriate measures will be taken.