Shillong: Director of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Saloni Verma on Monday stated that the availability of commercial LPG in Meghalaya is gradually improving, with allocations now raised to 70 per cent of the usual quota. She also assured that domestic LPG supply across the state has remained largely unaffected despite visible queues at distributor outlets.
Addressing reporters, Verma said the increase follows sustained engagement between the state and the Government of India, along with a reassessment of stock positions across different states. She expressed optimism that the enhanced allocation would ease difficulties faced by hotels, restaurants, dhabas, and tourism-related businesses.
Earlier this month, on March 11, the Centre had imposed a cap limiting commercial LPG supply to 20 per cent due to disruptions in imports triggered by tensions in the Middle East. This significantly impacted Meghalaya, where the daily requirement of commercial cylinders stands at around 1,000. Supplies had dropped sharply to nearly 200–250 cylinders per day, leading to shortages across the hospitality sector. However, essential services such as hospitals and educational institutions continued to receive full allocations.
The situation has shown gradual improvement over the past week. Between March 25 and 27, daily supplies increased to around 300–350 cylinders, and in the last few days, arrivals have touched approximately 400 cylinders as the revised 70 per cent allocation begins to take effect. Verma noted that such changes take a couple of days to fully reflect on the ground.
On the domestic front, she clarified that there has been no disruption in supply. Prior to the March 11 restrictions, the state recorded daily domestic LPG deliveries of 6,000–7,000 cylinders. Even after the cap, distribution has remained within the range of 5,000–7,000 cylinders per day. From March 25 to 27 alone, a total of 22,094 domestic cylinders were supplied.
Explaining the long queues at LPG outlets, Verma attributed the issue to the ongoing e-KYC process linked to the De-duplication Exercise Certificate, which is mandatory for new connections. Oil companies are strictly implementing this measure to prevent hoarding and duplication.
She also appealed to the public and media to avoid spreading misinformation or creating panic through exaggerated reporting. Verma emphasised that the state government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, is closely monitoring the situation and taking necessary steps to manage the supply.
To ensure better oversight, both district-level and state-level LPG monitoring committees have been constituted and are actively reviewing the situation, she added.
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