No LPG shortage in Telangana, enough stock for 6.97 lakh cylinders: Minister Uttam Kumar

Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Friday assured citizens that there is no shortage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in the state despite concerns triggered by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

‘Don’t give in to panic buying’

Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies N Uttam Kumar Reddy said the supply chain remains stable and sufficient stocks are available to meet domestic demand, urging consumers not to indulge in panic bookings based on rumours circulating on social media.

The Minister reviewed the LPG supply situation during a high-level video conference held at the Dr BR Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat, attended by the Chief Secretary, district collectors, police officials and representatives of oil marketing companies.

‘LPG enough for 6.97 lakh cylinders in stock’

Officials informed the meeting that Telangana currently has 10,611 metric tonnes of LPG in stock, which is equivalent to about 6.97 lakh cylinders.

The state has a strong distribution network with 1.29 crore active domestic LPG connections serviced by 810 distributors.

The daily requirement of LPG is around 2.5 lakh cylinders, of which 86 per cent is used by households while commercial consumption accounts for the remaining 14 per cent.

Authorities said over 90 per cent of domestic demand is being met regularly, with no disruption reported at any LPG bottling plant.

Revised booking intervals

To prevent diversion of subsidised domestic cylinders and curb hoarding, the government has implemented revised booking intervals in line with national guidelines.

Under the new system:

- Urban consumers can book a new cylinder after 25 days

- Rural consumers can book after 45 days

Officials explained that a typical household cylinder usually lasts 25–45 days, depending on usage, and the revised intervals are intended to reflect realistic consumption patterns while preventing misuse in commercial establishments.

State and district monitoring committees

The government has set up dedicated coordination committees to closely monitor LPG availability and distribution.

A State-level LPG Supply Coordination Committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, will track stock levels, distribution and compliance across Telangana.

At the district level, committees led by District Collectors will review the supply situation daily and address grievances. These committees include officials from the Civil Supplies Department, police and oil marketing companies to ensure effective coordination.

Priority supply for essential institutions

The Minister directed officials to ensure zero shortage of LPG for essential institutions, including hospitals, schools, orphanages, old-age homes and welfare hostels.

Officials clarified that any adjustments in supply, if necessary, would apply only to the commercial sector to safeguard domestic consumers.

OTP-based delivery verification

To prevent diversion of cylinders, the government is strictly implementing an OTP-based delivery verification system.

Under this system, an OTP is sent to the registered mobile number of the consumer, and the cylinder is delivered only after the customer shares the OTP with the delivery personnel. This ensures that cylinders reach only the rightful customer.

Action against hoarding and black marketing

The Civil Supplies Department has intensified enforcement against illegal activities such as hoarding, diversion and black marketing of LPG cylinders.

Several cases have already been registered under the Essential Commodities Act, and district authorities have been directed to conduct surprise inspections at dealerships and take strict action against violators, including cancellation of licences.

Appeal to public

Uttam Kumar Reddy appealed to citizens to rely only on official information and avoid panic bookings.

He reiterated that the government is committed to ensuring an uninterrupted LPG supply to households and equitable distribution across the state despite global uncertainties.