By Shailesh Yadav

New Delhi [India], April 3 (ANI): With energy prices climbing sharply amid escalating hostilities in West Asia, the Central Government has begun mobilising domestic industrial capacity to ramp up production of induction heaters, a key alternative to conventional gas-based cooking and heating appliances.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) convened a high-level inter-ministerial meeting on Thursday to chart a course for accelerating domestic manufacturing of induction heaters and associated cookware, a top government source told ANI.

The meeting was attended by DPIIT Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Power Secretary Pankaj Agrawal, Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Lav Agarwal, and senior officials from several other ministries. Officials deliberated on measures to fast-track the entire production value chain for induction-based appliances, including related crockeries, the source added.

Friday's meeting was held after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting held on Wednesday, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sources said the Prime Minister directed all ministries to 'foresee the future and plan today,' stressing the importance of proactive economic preparedness in the face of an uncertain geopolitical environment.

Beyond induction heaters, the meeting also reviewed the domestic value chain for petrochemical products and gunny bags (bori bags), which could face supply disruptions if the West Asian conflict prolongs.

'If the war continues for a few months, we need to be prepared,' a source familiar with the discussions told ANI.

India imports a significant portion of its crude oil and LPG from the Gulf region, making a pivot to electric cooking through induction technology one lever to reduce pressure on household energy costs.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Thursday stated the Government is also pushing the expansion of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections to reduce pressure on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) supplies amid the ongoing crisis in West Asia.

Addressing an Inter-Ministerial Briefing on Recent Developments in West Asia, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said the government has taken several steps to promote PNG connections across the country.

'The Indian government has taken several steps to promote PNG connections. This is also important because it will help ease the pressure on LPG,' Sharma said.

She also recalled that the government had issued an order to encourage states to promote PNG expansion through ease-of-doing-business measures.

'In this context, I would like to remind you that the Indian government had issued an order stating that 10 per cent additional commercial LPG will be provided if state governments promote PNG expansion through ease-of-doing-business measures,' she said.

According to Sharma, several states have already benefited from the policy. (ANI)