Deputy Commissioner Ikram Shariff chairing a meeting of the District-Level Monitoring Committee on LPG supply and distribution in Kalaburagi on Friday (June 5).
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Deputy Commissioner Ikram Shariff warned LPG distributors of strict action if domestic cooking gas cylinders are found being sold in the black market anywhere in the district, and promised the public that there was no shortage of LPG despite concerns arising from the ongoing crisis in West Asia.He was chairing a meeting of the District-Level Monitoring Committee in Kalaburagi on Friday (June 5). The committee has been constituted to oversee the supply and distribution of domestic and commercial LPG cylinders. Mr. Shariff said distributors must ensure that domestic LPG cylinders are supplied to consumers strictly on a first-booked, first-delivered basis.He directed officials to take stringent action under the Essential Commodities Act against anyone found indulging in unauthorised stocking or illegal refilling of cylinders. Domestic LPG cylinders should not be diverted for commercial use by hotels or other establishments under any circumstances, he said, directing Food Department officials to conduct inspections.The Deputy Commissioner also took exception to the longer waiting period imposed by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) for refilling domestic cylinders in urban areas. Food Department in-charge deputy director Munawar Daula informed those present at the meeting that while urban consumers are generally eligible to book refills after 25 days and rural consumers after 45 days from the previous delivery, HPCL had fixed a 45-day interval even for urban consumers, causing inconvenience.Expressing displeasure, Mr. Shariff pointed out that Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and BPCL were supplying cylinders after a 25-day interval and directed HPCL representatives to immediately reduce the waiting period for urban consumers to 25 days.He instructed LPG agencies to ensure uninterrupted supply of cylinders to hospitals, educational institutions, hostels and canteens, particularly during the present uncertain global situation. Although adequate stocks were available, public anxiety had increased due to reports of geopolitical tensions, he said.The Deputy Commissioner asked gas agencies to cooperate fully with the district administration, reassure consumers about the availability of cylinders and activate helplines to address customer grievances promptly. He also directed petrol pumps to adhere to government guidelines while supplying petrol and diesel and advised bulk consumers to procure fuel directly from depots.Mr. Daula said the district has 47 LPG distributors serving 3,29,674 single-cylinder consumers and 2,32,294 double-cylinder consumers. There are also 10,372 commercial LPG consumers and 2,68,399 beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.Appealing to the public not to panic, Mr. Shariff said LPG companies were supplying cylinders in quantities exceeding daily demand. He advised urban consumers to book refills only after 25 days and rural consumers after 45 days from the previous delivery.During the meeting, LPG distributors highlighted the financial burden caused by low transportation charges paid under the Akshara Dasoha scheme for supplying cylinders to schools. They pointed out that the transportation rate had remained at ₹1.60 per km since 2002-03 despite a steep increase in diesel prices over the years, and sought a revision to ₹3 per km.Responding to the request, Mr. Shariff promised them that the issue would be discussed with the zilla panchayat CEO and executive officers of taluk panchayats to explore a suitable solution.Officials of the Food Department, Legal Metrology Department, petroleum companies including IOCL, HPCL, BPCL and Nayara Energy, representatives of petrol pump associations, and LPG dealers attended the meeting. Published - June 05, 2026 07:28 pm IST
