Govt steps up LPG supply, urges calm amid Hormuz concerns
New Delhi (PTI): Sale of small 5-kg LPG cylinders - available across-the-counter at LPG distributorships on showing valid ID proofs - has been stepped up, with about 6.6 lakh bottles sold since March 23 as the government ramps up supplies to meet demand.
Unlike the subsidised domestic 14.2-kg cylinders, the 5 kg bottles, called FTL cylinders, are priced at market rates and do not require any address proof for procurement from a nearby LPG distributorship.
"Yesterday (April 4), more than 90,000, 5Kg FTL cylinders were sold. Since March 23, 2026, about 6.6 lakh, 5 Kg FTL cylinders have been sold," the oil ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said there are no reports of shortages at LPG distributor points, with more than 51 lakh domestic cylinders delivered during the day and online bookings accounting for 95 per cent of total demand.
Authorities have intensified action against hoarding and black marketing, seizing over 50,000 cylinders since March and issuing more than 1,400 show-cause notices to LPG distributors, with 36 dealerships suspended so far.
The government has prioritised supplies of domestic LPG and piped natural gas (PNG), particularly for households and essential services such as hospitals and educational institutions, while boosting refinery output and managing demand by extending LPG refill intervals.
Commercial LPG supplies have been capped at 70 per cent of pre-crisis levels, with smaller cylinders being made widely available to ease pressure on demand.
On natural gas, the government said full supplies are being maintained for households and transport, while supplies to fertiliser plants are set to rise to about 90 per cent of average consumption from April 6, supported by incoming LNG cargoes.
All refineries are operating at high capacity with adequate crude inventories, and petrol pumps across the country remain fully stocked, the ministry said, reiterating its advice to avoid panic buying and rely on official information.
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Air India suspends flights to Israel till May 31
Jerusalem (PTI): Amid the ongoing war in West Asia, Air India has suspended its flights to Israel till May 31.
An Air India executive confirmed to PTI that the airline has suspended flights on the New Delhi-Tel Aviv route till May 31.
Most of the leading airlines have suspended their operations on the Tel Aviv route with only Israeli carriers like El Al, IsraAir, Arkia and Air Haifa operating under severe restrictions.
The suspension of flights has caused major worries among more than 40,000 Indians living in Israel who wish to travel to India for personal or professional reasons, or even to escape the escalating tensions in the region.
Indians looking to leave Israel have to go through Jordan or Egypt by entering the two countries through the land crossings.
The Indian mission in Tel Aviv has been assisting those looking to travel through various means.
The embassy has also maintained regular contact with the community during the period, opening a 24x7 emergency line and also launching a massive registration drive.
Ambassador J P Singh and the embassy team on Saturday held virtual discussion with Indian workers and students across Israel to listen to their concerns, assuring them of “constant support during the ongoing crisis, and beyond”, the mission said on its social media handle.
The direct flight service between New Delhi and Tel Aviv was re-launched on January 1 with four weekly flights, utilising the advanced Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
However, flights have been disrupted ever since the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28.
The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region. The conflict has taken a major toll on energy supply chains, especially across the Strait of Hormuz.
