No Shortage of LPG in Telangana Despite Middle East Tensions: Uttam Kumar Reddy

Hyderabad, March 13, 2026:
Telangana Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has assured consumers across the state that there is no shortage of domestic LPG and that supplies remain stable despite concerns triggered by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

The Minister reviewed the LPG supply situation during a high-level video conference held from the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Telangana Secretariat in Hyderabad. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao, district collectors, senior officials from the Civil Supplies Department, police officials, and representatives from oil marketing companies.

During the meeting, Uttam Kumar Reddy stressed the need for close coordination among all departments to ensure adequate stocks and timely distribution of LPG cylinders. He also directed officials to take strict action against hoarding, diversion and black marketing while countering misinformation circulating on social media that could create unnecessary panic among consumers.

Officials informed the meeting that Telangana currently has around 10,611 metric tonnes of LPG in stock, which is equivalent to nearly 6.97 lakh cylinders. The state’s daily requirement is about 2.5 lakh cylinders, with 86 percent used for domestic purposes and the remaining 14 percent for commercial consumption. Authorities said supply operations at bottling plants are functioning normally and more than 90 percent of domestic demand is being met regularly.

Telangana has a strong LPG distribution network with nearly 12.9 million active domestic connections served by 810 distributors across the state.

To prevent misuse of subsidised LPG cylinders, the government has introduced revised booking intervals. Urban consumers can book the next cylinder only after 25 days, while rural consumers must wait 45 days between bookings. Officials said the change reflects the average consumption pattern of households, where one cylinder typically lasts between 25 and 45 days, and will help prevent diversion of domestic cylinders for commercial use.

The state government has also set up LPG Supply Coordination Committees at both the state and district levels. The state-level committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, will monitor stock availability, distribution and compliance with regulations. District collectors will lead local committees to review supply on a daily basis, address complaints and enforce booking norms.

The government has directed that there should be zero shortage of LPG for essential institutions such as hospitals, schools, orphanages, old-age homes and welfare hostels. While minor adjustments may be made in commercial supply if necessary, officials said the current supply position allows for balanced distribution.

To improve transparency in delivery, authorities highlighted the OTP-based verification system. Under this system, an OTP is sent to the registered mobile number of the customer who booked the cylinder, and the delivery is completed only after the customer provides the OTP to the delivery personnel. This measure aims to ensure cylinders reach the rightful consumers.

The Minister also instructed the Civil Supplies Department to strengthen field-level monitoring and create awareness among distributors to prevent post-delivery transfers and misuse.

Authorities have already registered several cases under the Essential Commodities Act against hoarding and black marketing. District collectors and police officials have been asked to carry out surprise inspections at dealerships and take strict action against violators, including cancellation of licences if required.

Uttam Kumar Reddy appealed to the public not to panic or make unnecessary bookings based on rumours. He urged citizens to rely on official information and assured that the government is committed to maintaining uninterrupted LPG supply to meet genuine household needs.

Senior officials including Principal Secretary (Civil Supplies) Stephen Ravindra, Secretary (Irrigation) E. Sridhar, GHMC Commissioner R. V. Karnan, and representatives from oil marketing companies participated in the review meeting.