Tamil Nadu ramps up LPG access for migrant workers

CHENNAI:
India’s state-run oil marketing companies have stepped up efforts with the Tamil Nadu government to ensure uninterrupted access to cooking gas for migrant workers, as authorities move to cushion the impact of global supply disruptions on domestic consumers.

Acting under the guidance of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the oil industry has doubled the daily availability of 5-kg free trade LPG cylinders — a smaller, more flexible option widely used by migrant labourers and daily wage earners. The expanded supply is being rolled out across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry through coordination with state departments.

The intervention comes against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions affecting global energy supply chains, prompting Centre and state governments to pre-empt shortages and stabilise fuel distribution.

A release from State Level Coordinator (SLC), Oil Industry – Tamil Nadu & Puducherry said the additional allocation is being targeted at high-density migrant clusters in industrial belts such as Chennai, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Erode and Thiruvallur. Oil companies have deployed distributors directly to construction sites, industrial hubs and worker settlements, enabling over-the-counter sales through petrol pumps and local retail outlets.

To lower access barriers, new 5-kg connections are being issued with minimal documentation, requiring only basic identity proof such as Aadhaar. A release stated that the availability of these cylinders has already risen by about 70 per cent since April 7 compared with pre-disruption levels, with further increases planned.

“LPG supplies across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry remain stable, with adequate stocks at bottling plants and distributorships,” said V C Asokan, state-level coordinator for the oil industry, referring to operations of public sector retailers including Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited.

The move underscores a broader policy push to ring-fence vulnerable consumers from supply shocks, while maintaining continuity in essential fuel distribution.