Ahmedabad, April 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) No industrial units in Gujarat have shut down due to gas shortages despite the ongoing West Asia crisis, officials claimed on Tuesday, underlining that disruptions in the sector are linked to supply chain and viability issues.
Speaking at a state-level press briefing in Ahmedabad, K.C. Sampat, Additional Commissioner of the Industries and Mines Department of Gujarat, said a comprehensive review across districts showed that out of the state’s 4,11,733 registered industries, 1,212 are currently non-operational and around 28,517 are functioning at reduced capacity.
A significant concentration of affected units is in Morbi, where 984 units are shut, and 1,577 are operating at partial capacity out of 2,568 units, along with 217 closures in Surendranagar.
“The impact of the West Asia situation has currently remained limited on the state’s industrial sector, and most industries are operating regularly, although some are partially affected,” Sampat said.
He attributed closures to “issues such as transportation, supply chain disruptions and viability constraints,” adding that “no major incidents of worker layoffs have been recorded.”
Sampat said the government is working at all levels, from the state to districts, with continuous coordination involving industries, GIDC offices and labour departments.
“Industrialists and associations are providing real-time inputs, and issues related to raw materials, transportation and supply chains are being addressed continuously,” he said.
Meetings with major industrial associations were also held in South Gujarat on March 28 to address labour concerns, including food security.
To support workers, 159 industrial community kitchens have been operationalised, providing daily meals to around 50,000 workers.
Authorities are also supplying five kg LPG cylinders for daily use, and prioritising piped natural gas (PNG) connections for essential services and industrial canteens.
Highlighting supply management, Sampat said LNG and LPG constraints at the national level are being closely monitored while ensuring domestic supply remains unaffected.
“Operations are being carried out under the highest priority to ensure that domestic LPG and PNG supply remains uninterrupted,” he said.
Fuel supply has been prioritised for key sectors including steel, automobiles, textiles, dyes, chemicals and plastics, with lower reductions for fertiliser and dairy units.
He added that industrial gas supply has been rationalised to protect domestic consumption, and temporary permission has been granted from March 30 for three months to use alternative fuels such as coal, kerosene, biomass and waste-derived fuels.
“The restriction on solid alternative fuels for industrial and commercial units has been removed for three months to ensure operational flexibility,” Sampat said.
LPG distribution hours have also been extended, including night-time delivery.
Dipen Chauhan, Senior Vice President of Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation, said gas supply across the state remains stable, with no disruption to CNG or PNG availability.
“Since the beginning of the West Asia crisis until now, not a single CNG station has closed in Gujarat, and the gas supply has been maintained continuously,” he said, adding that around 40 lakh kg of CNG is consumed daily, supporting approximately 7.5 lakh vehicles.
He said Gujarat has a fully developed city gas distribution network covering all districts, with around 10 licensed operators, including Gujarat Gas, Sabarmati Gas and Adani Total Gas.
“No cuts of any kind have been imposed on industrial gas supply. The quantity of gas is sufficient, though prices are aligned with global market dynamics,” Chauhan said.
Reiterating the situation in Morbi, he said, “Industries have taken voluntary shutdowns due to viability constraints, not due to gas non-availability. No unit has shut due to a gas shortage.”
Chauhan added that Gujarat accounts for about 23 per cent of the country’s domestic PNG consumers, 51 per cent of commercial connections and 28 per cent of industrial connections, along with 13 per cent of CNG stations nationwide, making it a leading state in city gas distribution.
Officials said PNG adoption has accelerated under a statewide campaign, with 49,898 new domestic registrations and 26,909 conversions completed between March and April 5, alongside 911 commercial registrations and 496 conversions.
Since March 1, around 50,000 new customers have registered, and 27,000 connections have been provided.
A 948 per cent increase in domestic registrations has been observed following government directions.
The government has instructed all city gas distribution entities to prioritise PNG connections for essential services such as hospitals, schools, hostels, community kitchens and industrial canteens.
During March, 225 new connections were registered and 89 provided in these categories, which include industrial canteens, educational institutions, hospitals and community kitchens.
Officials also highlighted customer-focused measures, including a simplified seven-day connection process, QR code-based self-registration, doorstep services, awareness campaigns and a Rs 500 rebate scheme offered by CGD companies for new domestic PNG connections.
They added that sufficient LNG is available at terminals in Mundra and Dahej, with four additional cargoes expected during April and May.
Procurement from alternative sources and coordination with suppliers are being maintained to ensure continued supply.
“The situation is being continuously monitored and necessary supportive measures are being implemented so that industries and citizens do not face any difficulty,” officials said.
Source: IANS
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