The government has decided to import more than 50,000 metric tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) each month over the next three months to address the recent cooking gas shortage and ensure adequate supplies during the upcoming festive season. The decision was made during a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Gobinda Bahadur Karki at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting reviewed the causes of the gas shortage and discussed the roles of relevant ministries, government agencies, gas industries and distributors in resolving the issue. During the meeting, gas entrepreneurs said there was no actual shortage of LPG despite widespread public concern. They argued that demand had surged after the government resumed the distribution of standard 14.2-kilogram cylinders, replacing the temporary 7.1-kilogram half-cylinder system introduced following supply disruptions linked to the conflict in West Asia.
