New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) The government on Tuesday said it has conducted 12,000 raids and seized more than 15,000 LPG cylinders to curb hoarding amid rumours of shortages and panic bookings, while maintaining that there is no supply shortage across the country.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry's Joint Secretary, Marketing and Oil Refinery, Sujata Sharma, said LPG availability remains adequate despite increased demand.

She said around 70,000 bookings were made on Monday due to panic buying and appealed to consumers to avoid unnecessary bookings and consider alternative arrangements where feasible.

According to Sharma, digital adoption remains high, with nearly 94 per cent of domestic LPG bookings being made online. She urged consumers to continue using online platforms and avoid panic-driven demand.

Sharma also noted that Delivery Authenticity Code (DAC) compliance has improved to 76 per cent.

The official further said several states, including Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Manipur, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttarakhand, have taken steps to allocate non-domestic LPG for essential services.

Meanwhile, Special Secretary, Shipping, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, said all 22 vessels and Indian crew members in the Gulf region are safe.

He added that 161 Indian nationals have been brought back in the last 24 hours.

On incoming supplies, Sinha said the LPG carrier Nanda Devi arrived at Kandla port early Tuesday morning. He added that cargo is being transferred from larger vessels to smaller ships for further distribution. This follows the docking of another LPG carrier, Shivalik, at Mundra port on Monday.

The arrival of these shipments comes at a time when global energy markets are facing disruptions due to the ongoing Iran conflict, raising concerns over LPG availability.

Moreover, the government said India has started sourcing LPG from multiple global channels, including the United States, to diversify supplies amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.

--IANS

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