Hyderabad: Telangana Minister for Food and Civil Supplies N Uttam Kumar Reddy has written to Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri seeking urgent intervention to address a severe shortage of auto liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the state, warning that the supply crunch is disrupting public transport and threatening the livelihoods of around 1 lakh autorickshaw drivers.
In a letter dated March 30, Uttam Kumar said a daily shortfall of around 55 metric tonnes of auto LPG has left a majority of private distribution outlets facing a dry-out, causing widespread disruption to public transport services.
The minister said while domestic LPG supply was being maintained at 100 per cent in keeping with the Government of India directives amid the ongoing West Asia crisis, the auto LPG segment had taken a significant hit.
According to the letter, the auto LPG distribution network in Telangana comprises 143 outlets in total. Public sector undertakings (PSU) – Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) – operate 33 of these, accounting for just 20 per cent of the market.
The remaining 110 outlets, run by private operators such as Super Gas, Go Gas, Total Energies, Prime Gas, Extra Gas, Aegis Gas and Uni Gas, hold an 80 per cent market share but are bearing the brunt of the shortage.
The Civil Supplies Minister flagged that Total Energies alone, which runs 15 auto LPG outlets in the state, sources nearly 80 per cent of its requirement from BPCL and HPCL, with the balance filled through imports. “Disruption in PSU supplies has compounded the crisis across its network,” the letter noted.
On pricing, the minister pointed to a widening gap between public and private sector rates, with auto LPG at PSU outlets priced at Rs 75 per litre, while private operators are charging Rs 93 per litre. He urged the Centre to put in place regulatory measures to prevent further unwarranted price increases during the crisis.
Uttam Kumar made three specific requests to the Union minister. These are, ramping up auto LPG availability at PSU outlets, directing IOCL, BPCL and HPCL to supply the deficit quantity to private auto LPG distributors and regulating private sector pricing.
“Prompt intervention in this matter will help alleviate the current challenges, ensure the uninterrupted operation of public transport services, and safeguard the livelihoods of auto drivers and their families,” the minister wrote.
This post was last modified on March 31, 2026 6:20 pm