Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government has formed a committee headed by the Chief Secretary to coordinate with the Union government and ensure adequate supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) so that households do not face any shortage, even as industries across the state report disruptions due to reduced gas supply.

State government spokesperson Jitu Vaghani said the committee will remain in constant touch with the Centre and continuously review the situation to maintain sufficient gas availability. He said the state was already working closely with the Union government in view of the global situation affecting fuel supplies. Vaghani spoke to reporters outside the Assembly on Wednesday.

Earlier, Energy and Petrochemicals Minister Rushikesh Patel had said that due to the ongoing crisis in West Asia, the state government, in consultation with the Centre, decided to cut gas supply by about 50% to industries and around 40% to fertiliser and milk-processing units so that domestic consumers do not face shortages.

Vaghani clarified that the supply of cooking gas cylinders for households will not be affected. He said the Union and state governments are working to secure nearly 80% of the requirement for commercial gas cylinders. The Centre has also started placing advance orders for gas cargoes from West Africa and the United States instead of depending mainly on Middle Eastern countries, and the new supplies are expected to reach India soon.

He urged citizens not to believe rumours about gas shortages and advised against hoarding, stating that the situation has arisen due to an international crisis, but necessary steps are being taken to prevent disruption.

Industries, hotels, ice-cream sector hit by gas shortage

Meanwhile, the reduction in gas supply has begun affecting several industries in Gujarat, particularly the hospitality and food-processing sectors, which depend heavily on commercial LPG and industrial gas.

In cities such as Rajkot, Surat, and Vadodara, restaurant owners say they are receiving far fewer commercial LPG cylinders than required, forcing them to cut down operations. Many establishments have reduced their menus and are avoiding items that require continuous high heat in order to conserve fuel. Catering businesses have also reported difficulties in managing large wedding and social events due to limited gas supply.

The impact is also being felt in the ice-cream industry at the start of the peak summer season. Manufacturers say shortages of industrial gas have affected the production of cones and packaging materials, leading to higher costs. Industry representatives said prices of certain supplies have increased by 20 to 30%, and the rise in input costs may push up retail prices.

Some large dairy and food cooperatives with their own manufacturing facilities have reported no major disruption so far, while smaller producers remain concerned about supply in the coming weeks.

The situation is being closely monitored, and additional supplies are expected to arrive soon, which may ease pressure on industries while ensuring that household consumers continue to receive uninterrupted gas supply. DeshGujarat