Delhi LPG rules changed: Your past three months’ usage will now decide cylinder supply

Amid the war in West Asia, the Food and Supplies department had on March 14 capped the daily regulated supply of commercial LPG cylinders at 20% of the city’s average daily consumption – 1,800 cylinders in place of the usual 9,000 – dividing consumers into eight priority sectors with hospitals, educational institutions, Railways and airports getting 100% allocation. (see box)

However, in its revised policy, the department increased the city’s daily LPG allocation to 4,500 (19 kg equivalent), and restructured the categories from the earlier eight to seven.

There are two priority categories this time. Category 1, including educational institutions, hospitals, bus stands, Railways and airports, will continue to get 100% supply of their requirement. If they need more than what they have been officially allocated, cylinders allocated to Category 3 – hotels, restaurants, dhabas, food sector, including food processing/dairies, which has been given the highest allocation of 3,375 cylinders (75%), will be reduced, the order said.

The other priority category is Category 7, under which 180 5-kg cylinders will be provided to migrant labourers daily as “protected social allocation”.

The 4,320 19-kg cylinders will be distributed by oil marketing companies (OMC) based on their market share for the year. (see box)

As per the order, a cylinder will be delivered only after a written request – made on the consumer’s official letterhead – is submitted to the distributor and shared with state-level coordinators. The distributor has to then issue a system-generated invoice or cash memo and obtain an acknowledgement from the consumer that the cylinder has been delivered.

Also, deliveries to all commercial/industrial LPG consumers will be permitted only under two circumstances. First, if the “consumer is registered or gets registered with concerned OMC” and second, if “the consumer who has applied for PNG connection with Indraprastha Gas Limited and completed all necessary formalities, irrespective of the existence of PNG network in the area”.

Oil companies have also been asked to supply cylinders of standard 19 kg, except where specific capacity constraints exist. Further, the order added that to guard against unauthorised diversion or misuse of 5-kg cylinders, the companies will “maintain complete consumer records of migrant labourers, including their Aadhaar card details”.

Meanwhile, the oil companies have been directed to submit daily category-wise distribution reports to the department everyday by 11 am while the IGL has to send a weekly report on the progress of PNG connections in Delhi every Monday. “In the event of supply constraints vis-à-vis booking demand, distribution shall be affected strictly on a First-In-First-Out (FIFO) basis; no consumer shall be supplied an additional cylinder unless all prior bookings from other consumers have been served with at least one cylinder; and pending demand shall be met on the succeeding day, subject to availability,” the order said.

Further, inspections will be held in each district to prevent hoarding, black marketing, and diversion cylinders. Sirsa, meanwhile, appealed to the people not to fall prey to rumours. “The situation is fully under control. The supply is normal, flowing smoothly through OMCs… It is my request to the people of Delhi to not believe or spread baseless rumours… Consumers will face no issues.”

Meanwhile, the PWD on Thursday said it will waive off for three months – up to June 30 – the “road restoration charges” applicable for laying of IGL pipelines to expedite the laying of PNG pipelines. “…permission for road cutting for laying of IGL pipelines shall be accorded within 24 hours of receipt of a complete request…,” an order said.