Kargil, Mar 26: The authorities in Ladakh have said that there is adequate stock of Petroleum and Natural Gas available here.
Following a meeting held with the Petroleum Secretary and representatives of Oil Marketing Companies, the Chief Secretary of Ladakh Ashish Kundra reassured the public that an assessment of the stock of Petroleum and Natural Gas has been conducted, and more than 60 days of sufficient stock is currently available. He appealed to the public not to pay heed to rumours and misinformation and discouraged panic buying.
Regarding black marketing and diversion, the Chief Secretary stated that strict action will be taken under the Essential Commodities Act against anyone found involved in such activities.
In addition, the Chief Secretary also addressed concerns regarding the shortage of LPG among the public. The Secretary, Petroleum, informed that as per norms, domestic consumers will be provided LPG within 25 days. For commercial establishments, the quota has been increased from 20% to 40%, and efforts are being made to raise it to 50%, the Chief Secretary said.
Meanwhile, Kundra chaired a meeting to review and streamline the distribution of commercial LPG under the allocated quota across the region, with a special focus on ensuring transparency, equitable allocation, and uninterrupted supply for essential sectors. During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on strengthening the monitoring mechanism for commercial LPG distribution through a centralized Google Sheet/Excel-based digital system linked directly to consumer IDs and supply details. The Chief Secretary reviewed the status of the existing data management system, including dispatch records, auto-populated distribution entries, and district-wise supply details, particularly for Leh and Kargil districts.
Emphasizing the need for proper documentation and real-time monitoring, the Chief Secretary directed that daily dispatch and distribution data, especially for the hotel sector, be maintained systematically. He instructed the concerned departments to ensure that lifting data, market-wise supply, and daily allocation records are updated regularly in the digital database for better oversight and transparency.
During the review, it was decided that 70 percent of the available commercial LPG quota shall be reserved for hotels, while the remaining 30 percent shall be allocated to other commercial consumers, keeping in view the current demand pattern and sectoral requirements. The Chief Secretary further instructed the Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) to issue necessary orders based on the consolidated average daily distribution data from April to June of the previous year, so that future allocations can be made on a rational and need-based basis. Himanshu Sharma, State Level Coordinator (SLC), Oil Industry, J&K and Ladakh, joined the meeting virtually. Representatives from IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL, along with other stakeholders from the oil and LPG sector, raised several operational concerns during the meeting.
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