PUNE: A slew of measures, issues and an earlier announcement by the state govt offering three free LPG cylinders per year to connections in the name of women has left distributors struggling with operational challenges, leading to unprecedented delays in deliveries.
Resultantly, citizens have been grappling with extended waiting periods, with delays of up to a week and more.
Reshma Khatoon, who works as a cook in households in Wanowrie, said, “I booked a gas cylinder three days ago, but the local agent told me it will take a week to be delivered. In the meantime, I am cooking food for my family at my employers’ houses and taking it home.”

A customer from Sahakarnagar said, “I booked my refill on Nov 1. It usually arrives in a few days. It has been a fortnight and there is no sight of the cylinder. The delivery man from the agency told me there is a waiting period of one month and that trucks ferrying cylinders have not been coming regularly.”
Sources from the All India LPG Distributors Federation Maharashtra revealed that delays stem from several interconnected issues. Following the state government’s announcement of three free cylinders a year to women under the expanded.
Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana scheme, gas agencies have been overwhelmed with requests for transfer of connection names. Earlier, this year, the Mahayuti govt had expanded the Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana to include beneficiaries of the Ladki Bahin Yojana for underprivileged women.
A senior federation representative said, “We’re seeing long queues of women wanting to transfer connections belonging to their husbands or brothers to their own name to avail of the scheme’s benefit. The rush is an after-effect of the state government’s announcement of three free cylinders for women from economically weaker sections.”
The situation has been further complicated by a shortage of mandatory Rs100 adhesive stamps required for new connections and name transfers.
“Maharashtra is the only state that requires these stamps, which must be pasted behind the subscription voucher. Currently, there’s an acute shortage of these stamps, causing delays in confirming new connections and name transfer requests,” the official added.
Digital hurdles have also emerged with the implementation of a new delivery verification system. The federation representative said, “Our delivery personnel could previously complete 35 deliveries in a period, but manage only 25 now. Oil companies have introduced a mandatory app-based delivery verification system, requiring OTPs from customers. The process is particularly challenging in slum areas with poor network connectivity. Each delivery is taking an additional 15-20 minutes due to technical glitches and customers are hesitating to share OTPs.”
The companies are phasing out physical cash memos and insisting on app-based delivery confirmation only, the representative said. “The digital transition, combined with connection transfer rush and stamp shortage, has created multiple pressure points on the delivery system,” he added.
A city-based LPG dealer told TOI, “The surge in requests to transfer connection has left us overwhelmed. We’re seeing an unprecedented number of customers approaching us. Around 200 people on average per day come to our office to get connections transferred to the name of some woman in their family.”
However, an oil marketing company official said, “There is no issue at our LPG plant and supplies are smooth from our end. There was a rush earlier at our dealerships when the Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana scheme was expanded, but things are stable now.”