Around 36,000 applications for new domestic LPG connections are pending in Karnataka, prompting state food and civil supplies minister Rizwan Arshad to ask the Centre to speed up approvals and direct oil marketing companies to serve eligible households.
Arshad raised the issue with Union petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri, saying the process had stalled after the global LPG crisis. He asked the Centre to prioritise Karnataka’s requirements and expedite the release of new domestic connections.
The minister also pointed to the price difference between domestic LPG cylinders and 5kg cylinders. According to the report, he said the higher cost of the smaller cylinders was difficult for middle-class and economically weaker families to afford. The issue places household fuel access at the intersection of supply availability and affordability, particularly for applicants who are unable to secure a regular domestic connection.
Arshad warned that continued refusal or delay in issuing new domestic LPG connections could lead to illegal activities. The concern comes against the backdrop of a police case in Bengaluru North involving the alleged illegal storage of LPG cylinders.
Based on a complaint from food inspector Prasanna Kumar C, Bagalagunte police filed an FIR against Prashanth of Bhairaveshwara Enterprises in T Dasarahalli. Police said the accused failed to produce bills for the purchase of 528 cylinders from oil marketing companies and private firms. All the cylinders were seized, according to the report.
The Bengaluru case is separate from the state government’s request for faster household connections, but it highlights the risks that can emerge when a regulated fuel supply is not matched by transparent access and proper documentation. LPG cylinders are distributed through licensed networks, and the police action concerns the alleged possession of a large stock without purchase records.
The state’s appeal now rests with the Union petroleum ministry and the oil marketing companies responsible for processing and issuing domestic connections. The immediate administrative questions are how quickly the pending applications can be cleared, whether Karnataka’s requirements will receive priority, and how eligible households will be identified and served.
No timeline for clearing the applications or details of a revised allocation were provided in the report. The next step is expected to be a response from the Centre and the oil marketing companies to Karnataka’s request.
