New Delhi, April 2 -- India eased a month-long mandate requiring all refinery byproducts to be used for cooking gas production, allowing some essential components, such as propane, polypropylene, and butane, to return to pharmaceuticals, food, distribution, and petrochemicals. The decision balances an increasing regional energy crunch with the survival of critical manufacturing sectors.

The allocation for the critical sectors will be based on the recommendations from the Centre for High Technology, which functions under the ministry of petroleum and natural gas.

The components under the 'C3 and C4' streams of crude oil refining are used in the production of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Amid a shortage of cooking gas supplies from West...