Daijiworld Media Network - Pune

Pune, Mar 15: Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister of Maharashtra, on Sunday assured that the state has sufficient stock of LPG and urged citizens not to panic or queue outside gas agencies.

Speaking to reporters in Pune, Fadnavis appealed to people to remain calm and avoid unnecessary rush at LPG dealers.
“I urge people not to line up outside gas agencies,” he said.

The chief minister accused opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi of the Indian National Congress, of spreading fear by claiming there is a shortage of LPG in the country. He alleged that such statements have triggered panic buying and long queues at distribution centres.

Fadnavis asked citizens to trust the efforts of the Centre in maintaining uninterrupted supply of domestic LPG.

Meanwhile, some LPG consumers across the country have reported difficulties in booking cylinders online. Officials said the situation is expected to improve soon with additional supply arriving.

Two tankers carrying around 93,000 tonnes of LPG, which had been delayed after the Strait of Hormuz remained blocked for nearly two weeks amid regional tensions involving Iran, are expected to reach ports in Gujarat on Monday and Tuesday.

To manage supply, the Central government has also invoked the Essential Commodities Act and imposed restrictions on the sale of commercial LPG cylinders.