New Delhi, March 28 -- The government on Friday raised the cap on commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supplies from 50% to 70% of pre-crisis levels, extending priority access to labour-intensive industries including steel, automobiles, textiles, dyes, chemicals, and plastics. Petroleum secretary Neeraj Mittal communicated the decision in a letter to chief secretaries of states. Within the newly prioritised industries, "priority shall be given to process industries or those requiring LPG for specialised heating purposes that cannot be substituted by Natural Gas," Mittal said. The 70% cap represents the latest step in a graduated restoration of commercial supplies that began at 20% of pre-crisis levels. The government subsequently raised...