New Delhi, March 10 -- The Central government on Tuesday invoked the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 in order to maintain natural gas supplies amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

According to the order, the supply of natural gas to certain sectors shall be treated as priority.

These sectors include: Domestic Piped Natural Gas supply; Compressed Natural Gas for transport; LPG production including LPG shrinkage requirements; Pipeline compressor fuel and other essential pipeline operational requirements.

India has 33.08 crore active liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) consumers, and the government is looking to maintain an uninterrupted supply.

The move comes amid a reported shortage of commercial LPG gas cylinders across major citie...