Centre invokes Essential Commodities Act to safeguard natural gas supply amid West Asia tensions
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ March 10,2026
Amid rising tensions in West Asia, the Government of India has invoked the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to regulate the production, supply, and distribution of natural gas across the country. The move aims to ensure adequate availability of the fuel for priority sectors during the ongoing crisis.
According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, top priority in natural gas supply will be given to sectors such as domestic piped natural gas supply, compressed natural gas (CNG) for transport, LPG production including shrinkage requirements, and fuel needed for pipeline compressors and other essential pipeline operations.
The government has directed that these sectors should receive natural gas supply equivalent to 100 percent of their average consumption over the past six months, subject to operational availability.
The order also states that fertiliser plants will be supplied with 70 percent of their past six-month average gas consumption, depending on operational availability.
Meanwhile, gas marketing companies have been instructed to ensure that industries such as tea manufacturing and other industrial consumers connected to the national gas grid receive 80 percent of their average gas consumption of the previous six months.
Additionally, City Gas Distribution companies must ensure that industrial and commercial consumers supplied through their networks also receive 80 percent of their past six-month average gas consumption, subject to availability.
The decision has been taken to maintain stability in energy supply and protect critical sectors from potential disruptions amid the evolving geopolitical situation in West Asia.
