The government has cut the minimum gap for booking domestic refills from 45 days to 25 days, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said on Monday. The new 25-day interval will be applicable to all domestic LPG consumers, irrespective of whether they live in urban or rural areas.
The Petroleum Ministry has directed state-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) to introduce a uniform 25-day gap between with immediate effect.
Gopi posted a copy of the ministry’s letter to the OMCs on Facebook.
The ministry had earlier introduced different booking intervals after the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East in February 2026, as part of measures to manage demand and ease pressure on LPG supplies.
“I am directed to refer to the subject cited above and to say that, during the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East in February, 2026, the Ministry, vide PIB Press Release dated 12.03.2026, had prescribed timelines for booking of LPG refills, i.e. 25 days in urban areas and 45 days in rural areas as a temporary demand management measure,” the letter reads.
According to the ministry, the LPG booking restrictions were introduced when supplies came under pressure following the Middle East conflict. However, the situation has since improved, with refill backlogs falling considerably.
“In view of the present LPG supply position and the considerable reduction in refill backlogs as compared to the situation prevailing at the time of introduction of the demand-management measures, the Ministry has decided to revise the existing refill booking interval and prescribe an inter-refill booking gap of 25 days uniformly for all Domestic LPG consumers, including those in rural areas,” the letter said.
The ministry has asked Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) to follow the 25-day inter-refill booking rule for domestic LPG consumers across both urban and rural areas.
The revised interval has come into effect immediately.
“OMCs are advised to take necessary action for implementation of the revised inter-refill booking interval of 25 days uniformly across urban and rural areas, with immediate effect. This issues with the approval of the Competent Authority,” the letter said.
Earlier, the government had set maximum LPG production targets for 24 refinery and upstream oil companies, with a combined production capacity of 63.81 thousand metric tonnes per day (KTPD), in a bid to bolster domestic cooking-gas supplies and enhance resilience against potential supply disruptions.
(With inputs from news agency ANI)
