Lok Sabha Question No. 914 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-04
Subject: LPG Safety Oversight Framework
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Dr. D Ravi Kumar

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.914 TO BE ANSWERED ON 4 th  December, 2025

## LPG Safety Oversight Framework

914. Dr. D Ravi Kumar:

## पेůोिलयम एवं ÿाक ृ ितक गैस मंýी

Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  issued  any  specific  guidelines  or  quality  standards  for checking  the  purity  and  safety  of  Liquefied  Petroleum  Gas  (LPG)  supplied  through  gas godowns and distributors across the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  the  mechanism  in  place  to  ensure  regular  quality  testing  of  LPG  cylinders  and  gas washers at godowns before distribution to consumers;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  received  complaints  regarding  leakage,  low-quality  gas washers or unsafe LPG handling at gas godowns, if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  strengthen  quality  control,  inspection  and accountability measures to prevent such lapses; and
- (e) whether the Government proposes to introduce mandatory third-party inspection or digital monitoring systems to ensure transparency and consumer safety in LPG cylinder and washer quality verification at all gas godowns, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## पेůोिलयम एवं ÿाक ृ ितक गैस मंýालय म¤ राºयमंýी ( ®ी सुरेश गोपी )

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI SURESH GOPI)

- (a) to (e): Domestic LPG supplies across the country are subject to various acts/rules/guidelines issued by the Government,inter-alia including:
- (i) LPG Control Order, 2000 -Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has issued Liquefied Petroleum  Gas  (Regulation  of  Supply  and  Distribution)  Order,  2000  (LPG  Control  Order, 2000) which mandates that the LPG supplied across the country meets the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Specification of IS 4576 detailing quality specifications for LPG.
- (ii) Static and Mobile Pressure Vessels (Unfired) Rules, 2016 - Issued by Petroleum and Explosives  Safety  Organization  (PESO)  which  govern  the design,  installation,  operation, inspection,  and  testing  of  LPG  pressure  vessels  and  storage  tanks to  ensure  structural  and operational safety.
- (iii)  Gas  Cylinder Rules, 2016 -  Issued  by  PESO  which  regulate  the manufacture, filling, certification, periodic testing, and safe handling of LPG cylinders to ensure cylinder quality and safety in use.

LPG cylinders are manufactured as per IS 3196 (Part 1) through manufacturers approved by Chief Controller of  Explosives,  Nagpur (CCOE) and having a BIS  License. All new LPG cylinders received at the plants undergo a thorough Incoming Material Inspection including sending  samples  to  LPG  Equipment  Research  Centre  (LERC),  Bangalore.  In  case  of  any quality failures, stringent action is taken against the erring manufacturer as per the Quality Discipline Guidelines.

Subsequently, these LPG cylinders are put to first Statutory Testing & Painting (ST&P) after 10 years of manufacturing date of the  cylinder. Thereafter,  these LPG cylinders are put to ST&P after every 5 years. Such testing of LPG cylinders is being done by OMCs either inhouse  or  through  repairers  approved  by  Petroleum  and  Explosives  Safety  Organization (PESO).

All filled LPG cylinders undergo extensive checks at LPG bottling plants before being sent to the market. These checks cover key safety and quality parameters such as correct net weight, due retesting date, absence of leakage, proper sealing, O- ring leakage and overall cylinder condition etc. to ensure safe supply to consumers.

Various steps taken to ensure regular quality testing of LPG cylinders before distribution to consumers are as under:

-  Officials carry out random checks at distributors' godowns, delivery points, as well as en-route to ensure that correct weight cylinders are delivered by distributors.
-  Distributors  check  the  weight  of  cylinders  at  their  godowns.  Distributors  are  under instruction to carry out pre-delivery checks of the cylinders at the time of its delivery to customers.
-  All  distributors  provide  portable  weighing  scales  to  all  their  delivery  boys  so  that weight of the cylinder can be checked on demand before delivery to the customers.
-  Distributors ensure that the seals are verified and shown to the customers at the time of delivery.
-  Joint  inspections/  raids  are  conducted  by  OMCs  officers  in  coordination  with  State Civil  Supplies  Department  to  arrest  the  pilferage  of  LPG  and  cases  are  filed  by  the District  Administration  against  the  culprits  under  various  provisions  of  Essential Commodities Act and other relevant Acts.
-  Tamper evident seals are being used across the country.

Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) are required to ensure that LPG connections are  released  after  satisfying  and  meeting  all  the  safety  norms  stipulated  for  installation  of LPG  connections.    Provisions,  norms  and  steps  taken  to  ensure  compliance  with  safety standards while providing connections in all areas are as under:

(i)  Organization of Safety Clinics by distributor to spread awareness about safety aspects of LPG.

(ii)  Organization  of  mass  awareness  programs  on  safe  usage  of  LPG  through  audiovideo/print media, banners/hoardings, leaflets, pamphlets, etc.

(iii)  Organization  of  Pradhan  Mantri  LPG  Panchayats  in  villages  to  spread  awareness about safe and sustained usage of LPG amongst PMUY beneficiaries.

(iv) Supply of a laminated safety card with pictorial depictions of do's and don'ts related to LPG connection to every PMUY beneficiary at the time of releasing LPG connections. Installation of LPG connection at premises of the customer by a trained mechanic.

Consumers  can  report  LPG  leakage  complaint  on  1906,  a  toll-free  24  hour  helpline maintained by OMCs. Out of total 194.7 crore LPG cylinders deliveredin FY 2024-25, 4.70 lakh leakage complaints were received by OMCs during the year. Out of 4.70 lakh leakage complaints received, 2.53 lakh cases were caused by defective O-rings.

To  improve  awareness  amongst  LPG  consumers,  a  Basic  Safety  campaign  was  organised during March, 2024 to December, 2024 across the country under the theme 'Khushiyan Ab Teen Guna' with the objective of reaching the doorsteps of domestic LPG customers. The campaign was designed to educate consumers on the safe usage of LPG, complemented by extensive mass awareness initiatives through print and electronic media, on-site safety checks at  customer  premises,  and  the  replacement  of  Suraksha  hoses.  The  campaign  achieved significant  progress  with  over  12.12crore  free  basic  safety  checks  conducted  at  customer premises  without  any  cost  to  consumer  and  more  than  4.65crore  LPG  hoses  replaced  at discounted rates. Additionally, audio-visual (AV) materials were utilized during various field safety initiatives, such as LPG Panchayats and LPG Safety Clinics in schools, as well as for general  public  outreach.  These  AVs  were  also  shared  across  social  media  platforms  to maximize reach and impact.

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