Hoteliers’ plea for LPG supply boost

Amaravati: Seeking urgent government intervention, a delegation from the Andhra Pradesh Star Hotels Association (ASHA) met Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and pressed for key measures to support the struggling hospitality sector, including increased LPG supply, electricity tariff subsidy, and expansion of piped natural gas (PNG) infrastructure.

Led by ASHA president RV Swamy, the delegation highlighted that hotels and restaurants are facing severe operational challenges due to restricted commercial LPG supply by oil marketing companies, currently limited to just 10–15 per cent.

They urged the chief minister to intervene and ensure supply is increased to at least 50 per cent, in line with recent recommendations of the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

The delegation also sought a subsidy of Rs 2 per unit on electricity for establishments shifting to induction and electric cooking systems, as rising power costs under commercial tariffs are placing an additional financial burden. They cited similar support extended in neighbouring states as a model. Further, ASHA called for the accelerated rollout of PNG infrastructure in major cities such as Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Tirupati to provide a stable and cost-effective alternative to LPG.