New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) More than 350 show-cause notices have been issued to LPG distributorships as part of enforcement action to maintain seamless supply of gas, the government said on Friday, adding that enforcement drives are ongoing across states/UTs, with more than 3,000 raids conducted and over 1,500 LPG cylinders seized.

PSU oil marketing companies (OMCs) conducted more than 1,500 surprise inspections at retail outlets and LPG distributorships across the country, according to an official statement after the inter-ministerial briefing on recent developments in West Asia.

The government continues to prioritise domestic LPG and PNG supply, along with essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions. Measures include enhanced refinery production, revised booking intervals and prioritised allocation of supplies.

"States have been advised to facilitate new PNG connections for domestic and commercial consumers," the statement said.

The government is making all efforts to ensure the availability of petrol, diesel and LPG, and citizens are advised to avoid panic purchases. Citizens are advised to rely only on official sources and not believe rumours, it stressed.

"Citizens are encouraged to use alternate fuels such as PNG and electric or induction cooktops. All citizens are requested to conserve energy in their daily usage," it added.

The government reiterated that all refineries are operating at high capacity with adequate crude inventories, and sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel are being maintained.

"Domestic LPG production from refineries has been increased by 40 per cent to support domestic consumption," the government said.

Earlier in the day, in view of the increase in crude prices due to the Middle East crisis, the government reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 per litre to protect consumers.

The government also imposed a levy of Rs 21.5 per litre on the export of diesel and Rs 29.5 per litre on the export of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) to ensure adequate domestic availability.

The government has mandated domestic refiners to supply 50 per cent of exported petrol and 30 per cent of exported diesel to the domestic market.

--IANS

na/vd