Congress flags fuel crisis in Karnataka, hits at Centre

SEnior united states congress leaders on tues accused the Centre of mishandling the furnish of LPG and other fuels, expression the state of affairs has disrupted transport services and strained small businesses across Karnataka.In a joint statement, chief minister Siddaramaiah, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar and party general secretary in charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, said:“The Modi government’s catastrophic mismanagement of the LPG and fuel ecosystem has triggered a full-blown livelihood crisis across Karnataka.”They cited a sharp rise in auto LPG prices, stating that rates increased from ₹58-61 per litre in March to between ₹105 and ₹120 within a few weeks. According to them, some private outlets were charging as much as ₹125-135 per litre, while several government-run stations had ceased operations.The leaders also pointed to a steep reduction in the number of functioning LPG and CNG outlets in Bengaluru, estimating that operational stations had fallen from around 60-70 to about 10–15. They said daily fuel availability had dropped from roughly 12,000 litres to about 6,000 litres, with limits of around ₹400 per vehicle forcing drivers to queue for hours.Karnataka’s fleet of more than five lakh auto-rickshaws has been significantly affected, they said, with many vehicles taken off the roads and others losing working hours while waiting for fuel. The suggestion that drivers shift to petrol was described as unviable due to high costs and the declining use of petrol-run autos.The disruption has extended to small businesses, the leaders said, citing an increase of ₹200 in commercial LPG prices from April 1. A 19-kg cylinder now costs over ₹2,000, reaching ₹2,161 after multiple revisions in recent weeks. They also alleged that cylinders were being sold on the black market for up to ₹6,000.The Congress maintained that LPG supply falls under the control of the Centre through oil marketing companies, arguing that states do not oversee procurement or allocation. Despite requests for additional supply, they said, companies had not responded adequately, describing the situation as a breakdown in governance. They warned that shortages and price increases could worsen, raising concerns about black marketing and supply distortions in the run-up to elections.Separately, state home minister G Parameshwara said the state had formally sought its due share of LPG from the Centre and was awaiting a response. He added that food and civil supplies minister KH Muniyappa was in contact with central authorities on the matter.“What applies to other states should apply to us, but the Centre is not responding to our request. The Chief Minister also raised this yesterday. After the elections, someone may be assigned specifically to handle this problem,” Parameshwara said.(With PTI inputs)