New Delhi [India], March 13 : The Trinamool Congress (TMC), along with other opposition MPs, staged a protest at Makar Dwar on the Parliament premises over the shortage of LPG cylinders across the country on Thursday.
The protesters reportedly shouted "LPG, LPG" to highlight the crisis. Additionally, some opposition MPs raised concerns regarding Indian nationals stranded in Middle Eastern countries, chanting the slogan, "Qatar main Khade Hindustan, Modi Ghume Cheen Japan."
Congress MP Jebi Mather said, "Just by saying there's no scarcity, how will it be just not scarcity?... Union Minister Mr Puri is trying to portray that nothing is wrong here...We have to acknowledge there is a crisis. Then we have to find out ways to address the crisis...That is what Rahul Gandhi attempted to do in parliament yesterday, but he was stopped from not allowing him to complete. Let us acknowledge and let us find out ways, but this government is turning its back on the realities"
Meanwhile, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh claimed that the Modi government is "clearly afraid" of a discussion in both Houses of the Parliament on the situation in West Asia and its impact on India.
"The Opposition is demanding a discussion in both Houses of Parliament on the situation in West Asia and its impacts on India. But the Modi Govt is adamantly refusing to allow such a debate. It is clearly afraid. Its foreign policy already stands brutally exposed," the Congress MP said on social media.
The Opposition has been pushing for a discussion on West Asia in Parliament.
Led by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress leaders also staged their protests in the Parliament premises over the LPG issue.
However, the centre in the parliament said that domestic LPG production has increased by about 25 percent and the entire domestic LPG production is being directed towards household consumers.
The government said that for non-domestic LPG, priority is being given to essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions.
Additionally, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, informed the Lok Sabha and said that India's crude supply remains secure despite the fact that 45 per cent of imports previously transited the affected route. He noted that "Non-Hormuz sourcing has risen to approximately 70 per cent of crude imports, up from 55 per cent before the conflict began".
The Minister attributed this stability to structural diversification, noting that India now sources crude from 40 countries compared to 27 in 2006-07. He assured the House that "There is no shortage of petrol, diesel, kerosene, ATF or fuel oil. The availability of petrol, diesel, aviation turbine fuel, kerosene, and fuel oil is fully assured," with refineries operating at high capacity utilisation, sometimes "exceeding 100 per cent".
The Minister also detailed measures to protect the LPG supply for 33 crore families. Domestic LPG production has increased by 28 per cent over the last five days through refinery directives. To manage demand and prevent hoarding, the government introduced a 25-day minimum booking gap in urban areas and expanded the Delivery Authentication Code system to 90 per cent of consumers.
Additonally, Puri also cleared the air around standard time from booking to delivery, stating, "Domestic supply is fully protected, and the delivery cycle is unchanged. The standard time from booking to delivery for domestic LPG cylinders remains 2.5 days, unchanged from pre-crisis norms."
To ease pressure on gas channels, the government has activated alternate fuel options, including making kerosene available through PDS channels. Additionally, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has "advised State Pollution Control Boards to permit, for the duration of this crisis period, the use of biomass, RDF pellets, and Kerosene/coal as alternate fuels for the hospitality and restaurant segment for 1 month, which would enable a wider range of establishments to switch and free up LPG for priority consumers," Puri said.