Lucknow, Sept. 9 -- The oil companies have reduced the minimum booking gap for domestic LPG refills in rural areas from 45 days to 25 days. The change brings rural consumers on par with their urban counterparts, effectively ending a temporary restriction imposed earlier this year due to supply chain disruptions. Sanjay Bhandari, executive director and state head of Indian Oil Corporation, said that the petroleum ministry directed the three state-owned oil marketing companies such as Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd, to implement the 25-day inter-refill interval uniformly across all domestic connections, regardless of location. The change is effective immediately. The move provides significant relief to rural households, which were previously limited to booking a cylinder every 45 days under emergency measures. The 45-day interval was introduced in March 2026, when India faced LPG supply pressures amid conflicts in West Asia and shipping-related uncertainties. Because India imports a substantial share of its LPG, international disruptions directly impact domestic availability. As demand surged, the government implemented these measures to prevent panic buying and ensure cylinders were distributed equitably. The petroleum ministry rationalised booking intervals, maintaining 25 days for urban areas and extending it to 45 days for rural regions, to stabilise the market. At the height of the disruption, the government also prioritised LPG supplies for households and essential sectors, while monitoring hoarding and black marketing. The rural-urban distinction was always a temporary demand-management mechanism rather than a permanent policy change. The ministry also addressed confusion regarding PMUY and non-PMUY consumers on March 25, clarifying that the interval applied to all connection types, rejecting reports that PMUY consumers faced different restrictions....