3 Things The Catch Up: Jaishankar speaks with his counterparts in the Middle East, and more (20 March)
12 snips
Mar 20, 2026 Weekly headlines unpacked in short segments. Coverage of LPG booking surges and supply challenges amid the West Asia conflict. Election Commission moves, code enforcement and officer transfers across states. High‑profile CBI questioning in a major bank fraud probe. Geopolitical flashpoints around the Strait of Hormuz and claims of strikes on gas infrastructure. Global tariff changes and trade deal repercussions.
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Household LPG Booking Surge Has Subsided
- LPG panic booking has fallen back to near pre-war levels after peaking at almost 88 lakh cylinders a day.
- Government and OMCs delivered close to 55 lakh household cylinders and report no dry-outs across 25,000 dealers despite constrained imports.
Commercial LPG Rationing Continues
- Commercial and industrial LPG supplies remain heavily rationed, receiving only about 20% of their requirements via state allocations.
- While household deliveries are near normal, peak panic deliveries previously exceeded 60 lakh a day highlighting shifting allocations.
MCC Activation Triggers Major Officer Transfers
- The model code of conduct is active after the EC announced assembly poll schedules, triggering officer transfers and security deployments.
- West Bengal saw the most transfers, prompting Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee to call the moves sweeping and write to the election commissioner.