Karnataka to allocate 20% of daily commercial LPG supply: Minister

THe tell regime on mon said it would forthwith apportion about 20% of the state’s daily commercial LPG supply to hotels and other commercial establishments.State food and civil supplies minister KH Muniyappa said that around 10,000 commercial cylinders would be supplied daily to hotels, restaurants, industrial canteens and dhabas following discussions with oil marketing companies. The decision comes as the hospitality sector struggles with a severe supply crunch that has disrupted operations for weeks.“On an average, about 45,000 commercial cylinders were being used by hotels in the State. Following a discussion with oil marketing companies today (Monday), it has been decided that about 10,000 commercial cylinders can be supplied to the hotel industry,” the Minister said, urging businesses to adjust to the reduced availability.He acknowledged that the existing supply of about 1,000 cylinders had been inadequate and said the situation highlighted the need to explore long-term alternatives such as solar and biomass energy.In a statement to the legislative council, Muniyappa said the Centre had approved a total daily allocation of 16,105 commercial cylinders for Karnataka. Of these, about 4,200 would go to educational institutions, 1,200 to public sector undertakings, and 500 to agriculture and allied sectors, while 200 cylinders would be reserved for emergencies.The current crisis has been linked to global disruptions, with the ongoing West Asian war affecting supply chains. In Bengaluru, the shortage has hit hotels particularly hard, with industry representatives estimating losses of around ₹150 crore over the past three weeks.In an earlier statement, PC. Rao, honorary president of the Bangalore Hotel Association, said the shortage, which began around March 7–8, had severely affected day-to-day operations. “The LPG shortage that began on March 7-8 has completely disrupted the daily operations of hotels, causing a loss of about ₹50 crore every week,” he said.“Where two cylinders used to be available, now even one cylinder can be used temporarily. The hotel industry will resume operations as soon as possible. Otherwise, we risk losing customers and facing huge financial losses,” Rao said.Officials indicated that supply levels could improve modestly from after the announcement, with an expected restoration to about 50% of normal levels. Karnataka is likely to receive around 50,000 cylinders, with a significant share expected to be directed to Bengaluru, though the exact distribution remains unclear.Muniyappa also said that the State had received communication from the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry after chief minister Siddaramaiah wrote to it regarding the shortage. A meeting with oil marketing companies was held the same day to review supply.The minister urged residents to register with GAIL for piped gas connections, noting that the company currently serves about five lakh households and requires demand data to expand its network. He also cautioned against pressuring distributors, stating that the booking cycle remains unchanged at 25 days in urban areas and 45 days in rural regions.Meanwhile, the state high court refused to entertain a petition seeking uninterrupted LPG supply to hotels and restaurants. Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum observed that the issue fell within the executive’s domain, given the global context.“Government is doing their best. Better than other countries. Can’t subject it to judicial review. I will pass an order (disposing of the plea), courts should not get into all this, that too in war like situation,” the judge said.The court recorded the government’s assurance that efforts were underway to ensure equitable distribution of cylinders and noted that similar pleas had been rejected by the Bombay high court.