Mumbai: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday sought to allay fears over a possible fuel crisis in Maharashtra, asserting that the state has adequate stocks of petrol and diesel and urging citizens
not to indulge in panic buying.
Addressing growing public concern amid reports of long queues at petrol pumps in some areas, the Chief Minister said the supply chain was functioning normally and that temporary disruptions were being caused primarily due to unnecessary stockpiling of fuel by consumers.
“There is sufficient availability of petrol and diesel in Maharashtra. Panic buying puts pressure on the supply system and creates artificial shortages,” Fadnavis said while interacting with reporters.
Drawing a comparison with the banking system, he explained that supply chains are designed to meet routine demand and can face temporary strain if people rush simultaneously to purchase more fuel than required.
“If everyone tries to withdraw money from banks at the same time, there can be temporary liquidity issues. The same principle applies to fuel distribution,” he said.
The Chief Minister also rejected allegations made by Jayant Patil regarding an alleged shortage of diesel affecting police operations in Nagpur. He clarified that there was no scarcity of fuel for law enforcement agencies or the general public anywhere in the state.
Fadnavis said action had been initiated against officials responsible for spreading misleading information about fuel availability.
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Meanwhile, concerns over fuel supply intensified after Chhagan Bhujbal stated that Maharashtra currently has fuel reserves sufficient for about a month. He noted that while some petrol pumps were witnessing delays in fuel replenishment, there had been no official complaints of petrol or diesel being unavailable.
The remarks come against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the Middle East following the America-Iran conflict, which has affected global crude oil markets and triggered apprehensions about fuel supply disruptions in India.
However, the Union Petroleum Ministry attempted to calm fears, with Joint Secretary Sujata Sharma clarifying that there is no shortage of petroleum products, cooking gas, or other essential commodities in the country.
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