Rajnath reviews West Asia developments; Centre assures stable supply of essentials

New Delhi, April 9: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday directed all departments to strengthen preparedness, coordination and resilience to handle any eventuality arising from recent developments in West Asia.
Chairing the third meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) at Kartavya Bhawan-2, Singh said the government is ensuring uninterrupted availability of LPG, petrol, diesel, fertilisers and essential commodities. In a post on X, he credited the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for safeguarding citizens from the impact of the ongoing conflict.
The IGoM was informed that India has evacuated the highest number of vessels from the Strait of Hormuz over the past 40 days. Eight LPG vessels carrying about 340 TM—equivalent to 11 days of import requirement—have successfully transited, bolstering energy security. No LPG shortages have been reported, and domestic cylinder deliveries continue nationwide.
To support vulnerable groups, including migrant labourers, the supply of 5-kg Free Trade LPG cylinders has been doubled beyond the 20% earmarked allocation.
While PSU fuel outlets continue to meet demand, private operators are facing procurement challenges, leading to increased dependence on PSU pumps.
In a key decision on April 8, the government allocated 70% of LPG supply to non-domestic bulk consumers, prioritising critical sectors such as pharmaceuticals, food, agriculture, steel and defence materials to prevent supply chain disruptions.
The meeting also highlighted a push for Piped Natural Gas (PNG), with 3.16 lakh new connections added—three times higher than March 2025—along with over 16,700 LPG connections voluntarily surrendered.
On food security, officials reported adequate buffer stocks of rice and wheat to meet Public Distribution System (PDS) and emergency needs. The government remains ready to stabilise prices through market interventions via the Food Corporation of India (FCI). Wheat procurement under MSP has commenced smoothly, with adequate packaging arrangements in place.
Edible oil supplies remain stable despite global uncertainties, supported by steady imports and improved domestic mustard output. Sugar stocks are also sufficient, with production expected to meet demand and retail inflation remaining low at around 3%.
The Department of Consumer Affairs is monitoring prices of 40 commodities across 578 centres. No major volatility has been observed so far, except a moderate rise in edible oil prices. Onion procurement for buffer stock is set to begin soon to stabilise market rates.
The meeting was attended by senior ministers including Nirmala Sitharaman, S. Jaishankar, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Piyush Goyal, J.P. Nadda, Hardeep Singh Puri, Prahlad Joshi, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Kiren Rijiju, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu and Jitendra Singh, among others. (Agencies)