LPG cylinders at your neighbourhood fuel station soon

Within the next six months, you may be able to drive into your neighbourhood petrol pump to buy another liquified petroleum gas (LPG) or cooking gas cylinder for your kitchen.

Within the next six months, you may be able to drive into your neighbourhood petrol pump to buy another liquified petroleum gas (LPG) or cooking gas cylinder for your kitchen.

HT Image

A senior petroleum ministry official told the HT that a plan to make LPG cylinders available at petrol pumps was recently discussed with state-owned oil companies including, the Indian Oil, HPCL and BPCL.

"We have been told to implement this at the earliest and we are working out the details of having cylinders placed at pumps including the safety and security aspects," confirmed a senior IOC official.

This is expected to take three to six months.

The catch: these freely available LPG cylinders will be sold at the market (or non-subsidised) price, which, at Rs. 901, is more than double the Rs. 410 you pay for your subsidised LPG cylinder.

So, once implemented, you will not have to run to your neighbour or friend looking for an LPG cylinder when you run out of cooking gas.

You also need not worry if it is a Sunday or the dealer has closed shop since most petrol pumps remain open throughout the week.

"We can keep 100 kg or six cylinders of 14.2 kg each per petrol pump without having to obtain any fresh permission," the official said.