PM calls for cushioning West Asia crisis impact

Amid concerns over India's energy security and a looming cooking gas and fertilisers shortage due to the conflict in West Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked ministries to work in a collective and coordinated manner with respective stakeholders to cushion the impact on citizens, even as the Centre issued a fresh diktat to regulate natural gas supplies. Modi's message to ministers to ensure that any inconvenience to citizens is minimised, and to gear up for potential disruptions, was conveyed at the Union Cabinet meeting.

- ARCHIS MOHAN, SUDHEER PAL SINGH & SANJEEB MUKHERJEE

A panel of oil company executives has been tasked with reviewing complaints of shortage of commercial LPG cylinders and meeting the genuine needs of hotels and restaurants.

After prioritising the use of natural gas for LPG, CNG, and piped cooking gas, the Centre also included the fertiliser sector in the list in a fresh order.

In Parliament, the PM also met Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Meanwhile, some states, such as Madhya Pradesh, have also set up committees to oversee regular supplies of cooking gas and fertilisers and coordinate with the Centre. With the ongoing conflict in West Asia disrupting liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and key suppliers invoking the force majeure clause, the Centre issued a directive for diverting scarce natural gas to the economy's priority sectors, invoking The Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

According to The Natural Gas (Supply Regulation) Order, 2026, supply to four sectors will receive top priority allocation, maintained at 100 percent of their average gas consumption over the past six months - domestic Piped Natural Gas (PNG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for transport, Liquefied Petroleum gas (LPG) production including LPG shrinkage requirements, and pipeline compressor fuel and other essential pipeline operational requirements.

The second priority has been accorded to the supply of natural gas for fertiliser plants who will be ensured 70 percent of their past six months' average gas consumption, subject to operational availability.