No price increase on regular petrol, significant reduction in panic booking of LPG cylinders: Govt

Following oil marketing companies (OMCs) hiking the price of premium petrol by over Rs 2 per litre with immediate effect from Friday amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, the government has said there has been no price rise on regular petrol for consumers and the increase is restricted to the premium fuel category.

The government further added that panic booking of LPG cylinders has reduced significantly.

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The increase in premium petrol prices comes at a time when global crude oil markets are witnessing sharp volatility due to geopolitical tensions in West Asia.

State-run oil marketing companies, including Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and Indian Oil Corporation Limited, have hiked the prices of their premium petrol variants by about Rs 2.09 to Rs 2.35 per litre.

The price of branded fuels such as Power petrol and XP95 has increased from around Rs 111.68 per litre to nearly Rs 113.77 per litre. Meanwhile, prices of industrial diesel have also hiked by 25 per cent from Rs 87.67/ltr to Rs 109.59/ltr.

Speaking at the Inter-Ministerial briefing on recent developments in West Asia, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said petrol and diesel prices are deregulated and determined by the oil marketing companies.

“Prices of premium category petrol have been increased. It has been decided by the Oil Marketing companies,” she said.

“Normal petrol and diesel prices have not been increased,” she stated.

On LPG stocks, she said, “Refineries are operating at peak capacity with adequate crude and LPG stocks, ensuring stable supply and normal deliveries despite high booking levels. Nearly 93 per cent of bookings are online with authenticated delivery.”

At the briefing, Sharma said consumers are being encouraged to shift towards PNG, with over 7,500 already shifting, while 18 states and UTs have received commercial LPG allocations, including 11,300 tonnes supplied last week for priority sectors like Hospitals and educational institutions.

She said monitoring has been intensified through control rooms, district committees, and over 4,500 raids nationwide, along with inspections by Oil Marketing Companies.

“While the situation remains under watch, supplies are adequate. Citizens are advised to avoid panic booking, rely on official information, and wait for doorstep delivery, as the government continues to ensure supply stability and promote alternative fuels,” Sharma said.

She said domestic LPG supplies remain unaffected, with no dry-outs reported, even as production has been stepped up.

However, the official acknowledged that India’s energy position is “not self-sustainable” and continues to depend on imports.

Sharma said more than 13,700 PNG connections have been released to ease pressure on LPG usage. “There has been a reduction in panic booking, and 11,300 tonnes of commercial LPG have been supplied to consumers in the last one week,” Sharma said.

“Around 7,500 consumers have shifted from LPG to PNG. The situation is still worrying due to the war, but no dry outs have been reported at our distributors. There is a significant reduction in panic booking, and yesterday, we received about 55 lakh refill booking requests,” she said.

All efforts are underway to secure LPG supplies, and the government is actively working to broaden its supply sources to ensure stability, she said, urging state governments to strengthen monitoring and enforcement systems to ensure smooth distribution.