Kathmandu, Sept. 29 -- The government is again preparing to separate LPG supplies for household and commercial users, reviving a system it has tried to introduce before but failed to implement, as recurring shortages expose weaknesses in Nepal's cooking gas distribution system.

The latest push follows prolonged LPG shortages in Kathmandu after floods in the Bhotekoshi river disrupted supplies. Consumers were forced to queue for hours to buy cooking gas, while distributors came under criticism for holding large stocks.

The government has now formed a committee to study the use of different-sized LPG cylinders for households and businesses and recommend measures to address supply problems over the long term.

The idea is not new. In 2013,...