Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], March 12 (ANI): Amid the LPG shortage crisis, Chhattisgarh's steel industry is staring at difficult times due to the global impact of the military escalation in the Middle East as Iran continues to disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Manish Dhuppad from the Chhattisgarh Mini Steel Plant Association warned that the situation might worsen, affecting production costs and prices

On reports of LPG shortage, GS, Chhattisgarh Mini Steel Plant Association, Manish Dhuppad told ANI, '... The situation might worsen, as steel has a global impact. Coal and LPG prices may be adversely affected. Scrap imports could also be hit, since a major share comes from Dubai and the Middle East...'

The shortage of LPG has emerged amid global energy supply disruptions triggered by the ongoing conflict in West Asia. In response, the Union government has invoked the Essential Commodities Act to prioritise domestic LPG supply, reserving higher allocations for households, hospitals, and essential services while restricting commercial distribution in several regions

India is one of the world's largest consumers of LPG, which is widely used as a primary cooking fuel in households. Government initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana have significantly expanded LPG access over the past decade, bringing millions of rural and economically weaker households into the clean-fuel network.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has strengthened a control room, which is now operating round-the-clock, by including nodal officers from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to facilitate fact-checking and issue immediate clarifications to states and Union Territories amid growing public concerns about LPG availability.

The move comes in the backdrop of reports indicating public apprehension about a possible restriction in the supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in the domestic market due to ongoing developments in West Asia.

Officials said the Centre will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure the uninterrupted availability of LPG for domestic consumers across the country. (ANI)