New Delhi: Despite official assurances that there is no shortage of cooking gas in the country, many households across India are facing difficulties in obtaining LPG cylinders on time. Delays in cylinder deliveries and reports of black market sales have raised concerns among consumers.

A nationwide survey conducted by LocalCircles has revealed that nearly 57 percent of respondents experienced issues related to LPG cylinder delivery or black marketing over the past week. The survey gathered responses from around 57,000 participants across 309 districts in India.

According to the survey data, approximately 40 percent of the respondents were from Tier-1 districts, while 27 percent belonged to Tier-2 districts. The remaining 33 percent were from Tier-3, Tier-4, and Tier-5 districts. Both men and women participated in the survey in significant numbers.

Many respondents stated that LPG cylinder deliveries had been delayed during the past week. About 29 percent of participants reported that dealers claimed they had no stock available. Meanwhile, nearly 14 percent admitted purchasing cylinders from the black market at higher prices due to urgent household needs.

The survey also revealed that around 53 percent of respondents said their dealers had informed them in advance about possible delivery delays. However, another 43 percent stated that dealers did not communicate any such issues beforehand.

In several regions, LPG cylinders are reportedly being sold in the black market at significantly higher prices. Around 36 percent of the respondents were women who reported facing such difficulties.

Some respondents said they were forced to pay extra amounts ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 500 to obtain cylinders through unofficial channels. Among them, about 8 percent paid between Rs 100 and Rs 300, 11 percent paid around Rs 300, 8 percent paid between Rs 300 and Rs 500, and nearly 9 percent paid more than Rs 500.

Due to the shortage and delivery delays, about 39 percent of respondents said they had to borrow cooking gas cylinders from neighbours to manage their household needs.

The findings highlight growing concerns among consumers regarding the availability and distribution of cooking gas cylinders in several parts of the country.