Amid the escalating West Asia conflict, the Centre on Saturday announced allotment of extra 20% commercial LPG to states for further distribution to certain priority segments, including migrant workers, restaurants, dhabas and subsidised canteens.

This will be over and above the previous 20% commercial LPG allotment to each state for further distribution as per local priorities and a later announcement of 10% additional allocation to states that expand PNG networks.

In a letter to state counterparts today, Petroleum Secretary Neeraj Mittal said that from March 23, another 20% is being allotted to the states that would take the overall allocation to 50% of the pre-crisis level. However, this allotment is with certain conditions.

1. Extra allocation of 20% shall be given on priority to the following sectors: Restaurants, dhabas, hotels, industrial canteen, food processing/dairy, subsidised canteens /outlets run by state governments or local bodies for food, community kitchens, 5 kg FTL for migrant labourers along with measures to ensure no diversion.

2. All commercial and industrial LPG consumers shall have to register with Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) before they can be eligible to be allotted any commercial LPG from the overall 50% allocation. OMCs shall register such customers and keep a record of the sector they operate in the end-use of LPG and annual weight requirement of LPG of that customer in respective database(s).

3. All commercial and industrial LPG consumers shall have to apply for PNG with the gas distribution entity in their city as applicable and take all actions that will take them to a state of readiness for receiving PNG before they can be eligible to be allotted any commercial LPG from the overall 50% allocation.