The ongoing conflict between Iran and the alliance of United States and Israel has triggered a global gas supply crisis, affecting several sectors worldwide. Amid this situation, a major relief measure has been announced for hotels, dhabas, restaurants, industrial canteens, and the food processing and dairy industries in the state. State Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister Chhagan Bhujbal stated that, following directives from the central government, these sectors will receive an additional 20 percent allocation of Commercial LPG. This move aims to ease the burden caused by the ongoing fuel shortage.
As per instructions issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on March 21, 2026, the state had earlier been granted a 30 percent LPG allocation. However, from March 23, 2026, this allocation will be increased by an additional 20 percent until further orders, taking the total supply to 50 percent of pre-crisis levels. Priority in this enhanced allocation will be given to hotels, eateries, industrial canteens, and businesses linked to food processing and dairy production. Subsidised canteens, community kitchens, and welfare schemes for migrant workers run by the state government and local authorities will also benefit from this decision, ensuring wider support across essential services.
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Minister Chhagan Bhujbal emphasized that the decision will significantly help hotel and restaurant operators struggling due to the shortage of commercial LPG. However, businesses must complete registration with oil marketing companies and apply for PNG connections to avail of the benefits. The move is expected to stabilise the food service sector and streamline the supply chain during the crisis. Meanwhile, the state has also introduced key reforms in kerosene distribution, including automatic renewal of pending licences without any fee and immediate transfer of licences to legal heirs.
Further, in villages where no retail kerosene licence holders are available, fair price shop operators will be treated as authorised retailers and granted licences accordingly. Instructions have been issued to all district collectors through a government resolution dated March 20, 2026, to expedite approvals, renewals, and transfers of retail, hawker, semi-wholesale, and wholesale kerosene licences. These measures aim to strengthen fuel distribution at the grassroots level and ensure uninterrupted access to essential energy resources across the state during the ongoing crisis.